Love Letter
by Myrielle
Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul’s hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

prologue.

_You'll be the first person I look for… if you haven't found your soul-mate yet_

_--Yi Jeong_

She was already looking forward to his return even before he had left.

For what seemed like the hundredth time, Chu Ga Eul looked at her watch. It was thirty minutes to 2pm. In thirty minutes the man who had stolen her heart by masquerading as Prince Charming was leaving Korea. It hurt to breathe whenever she thought of that. Some part of her heart was crushed by his impending absence.

And that was why she was not at the airport to say good-bye. It was one thing to be strong in front of him and encourage him to pursue his dreams. It was another to do it in front of four other inquisitive pairs of eyes who would be scrutinizing their every move, their every expression. Some things were meant only for Yi Jeong to see. And she was afraid she would finally breakdown.

Wiping away the tears that threatened to escape, Ga Eul sniffed and stared into the fire that was blazing in the kiln. She was here again, here at the same spot where Yi Jeong had given her his promise. It was a strange one, a tentative promise based on the condition that she waited for him. He would wait for her if she could show him she would be there. How like Yi Jeong it was. Still frightened of love and being deserted, but brave enough now to step out if he thought she would be there to catch him.

"But who is going to catch me?" Ga Eul whispered, wrapping her shawl tighter around her shoulders. Could she trust him enough when he was so far away? Was this some kind of test to see if they were soul-mates?

It warmed her to know that she had changed him somehow and she knew that it would remain with him always. In some way, he would always be hers. But would they be together? Love was a strange thing, and sometimes, timing was everything. Ji Hoo and Jan Di were such a classic case of missed chances.

_If I meet him, I will never let him go. I would regret it for the rest of my life…_

Was it a mistake to let him go? Did this even count as letting him go? Ga Eul sighed. She was second guessing herself again. Yi Jeong sunbae had never been hers to keep in the first place.

She was afraid, in spite of herself. Afraid because like it or not, she had given her heart to him and she was helpless to take it back.

……………………………….

Yi Jeong settled into the comfort of the huge seat, glad that he was the only passenger onboard. Jun Pyo had insisted on sending him to Sweden via his personal plane and Yi Jeong had not been given the chance to say no.

His best friends had all been there to bid him farewell and Geum Jan Di had turned up too. Although he had been initially appalled when Jun Pyo had started pursuing her, he knew now that she was the best thing to have happened to his friend.

And because of her, he had met Ga Eul. For that he would always be grateful.

It hurt that she had not turned up to say good-bye. Never mind that they had spent the last four days leading up to his departure together and that they had agreed to say their farewells in private. They still weren't a couple though. It was a situation that puzzled Woo Bin and vexed Jun Pyo although Ji Hoo understood. And so did Jan Di. All the latter had done was to sweetly warn him to uphold his end of the promise or else she would hunt him down in Sweden.

_If you call her first, you'll be her slave…_

In fifteen minutes the plane would take off. And if he stared any harder at the phone in his hand, his gaze just might burn a hole in it. "Call, just call me," he muttered. Damn the girl and her pride, he swore privately. Then again, damn his pride.

Oh hell, he was going to do it. He was going to break his golden rule. Where Ga Eul yang was concerned, he had broken enough so he might as well just go all the way.

"Ga Eul yang?"

"Sunbae."

She sounded surprised yet happy. She had been crying though, he could hear it in her voice. Yi Jeong blinked and there was a sudden lump in his throat.

"I…where are you now?"

"…At the kiln."

He didn't know what to say. Maybe there was no need to say anything. It was enough to know where she was, that she was there on the line with him. After a long silence she finally spoke.

"Sunbae, did Jan Di pass it to you?"

"Yes." It was a plain blue envelope and he had been instructed to open it only when he was in Sweden. "You haven't lost my key, have you?"

He had given her the key to his studio last night. Although Ga Eul usually worked on her pottery in the other studio where Eunjae taught, he thought that she might like being somewhere which reminded her of him and the possibility of them. It was his way of trying to hold on to her but Yi Jeong refused to admit that to himself, let alone anyone else.

"Pabo, of course not."

He was teasing her, trying to distract the both of them. Five more minutes. There was so much to say which they didn't dare to. Silence again.

Yi Jeong cursed softly when he saw the stewardess approaching, her eyes fixed on his phone. Their time was up. "Ga Eul yang, I've got to go. The plane is about to take off."

"Sunbae…" I'll miss you. Come back to me. "Make sure you come back as a great potter. Don't waste the next four years."

"Well, make sure you're a better potter by the time I get back. Work on that wrist."

"You—" she started to retort heatedly when his next words cut hers off.

"Don't forget. If you haven't found your soul-mate by then…" And then he hung up.

…………………….

Ga Eul stared at the phone in her hand, keenly aware that somewhere out there, Yi Jeong was leaving her. But his words… Her heart was beating so fast. She would try. She would wait.

Yi Jeong exhaled, staring out at the window as the plane lifted smoothly off the ground, aware that somewhere out there, he was leaving her behind. Gently, he touched the envelope on the seat next to him and knew it was a letter. In an age of emails and Skype, only his silly romantic country bumpkin would write a letter.

He couldn't wait to write back.


	2. I

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

I

Finally he had settled everything he needed to do. New books, his schedule at the university pottery workshop, appointments with a master potter he had managed to lure out of retirement (not with money for once but with his talent) and his appointments with the specialists who would try to further the recovery of his hand.

All in all, it had taken him close to three weeks. All this while, the letter had been sitting on his table. Now that he had some time for himself, he was going to read it. There would be time to savour her words to him. Yi Jeong carefully opened the envelope and slid out the paper. It was a single pristine white sheet and he could see her neat writing.

_Sunbae,_

_I'm imagining by now you would finally have settled all the administrative matters you need to attend to before your classes start. I'm not going to ask you what Sweden is like because you're obliged to tell me anyway. I expect photos. The kind with you in them, and not some generic shots okay?_

What?! She expected him to pose and take shots of himself in public? No way was he doing that. At least not until he had a couple more letters from her.

_I feel a little strange at the moment, writing this and knowing that an hour from now, you're coming to pick me up. I keep thinking I'm going to forget my gloves and I'll have to borrow yours once we get to the rink._

No wonder she had been a little quiet during the ride there. And she had forgotten her gloves. "Pabo," he murmured softly. Come to think of it, he had given her those gloves at the end of their…outing. Had it been a date? He didn't know what to call it. At least this time he didn't have to pretend that it meant nothing to him.

_I keep wondering what to give you as a going away gift. I can't buy you something you'll like as your tastes are out of my financial league. I thought of making you something but pottery makes me a little miserable at the moment since it's the reason why you have to leave. I'm not going to give it up though; I like it too much. Even with your nagging about the wrist. _

He felt relieved to know that she would continue to pursue the art. And how dare she call him a nag? Yi Jeong smiled, in spite of himself.

_Hence, I decided to give you this. If you check the envelope, there's a stamp inside. It should be enough to cover the postage back to Korea. Use it if and when you want to write back to me. If you do, I'll know that you have accepted my gift. _

_Ga Eul _

Rubbing his thumb gently over her name, Yi Jeong looked out the window. It was in the middle of the day and the sun was out. In Korea, it would be at least midnight. She would be asleep, unaware of how much he wanted to fly back just to hold her for awhile.

This was her present, a way of keeping the line of communication open between them. And it was better than an email by far. He had something to hold, something she had touched. It was personal and intimate, and far less pressurising, given their strange neither here nor there situation.

Carefully, he put the letter away. When the time was right, he would send his reply.

………………………...

_One month later _

Ga Eul heaved a sigh of relief when she reached her locker. It had been a horrendously packed day and she had just finished the last of three tutorials. And on top of that, she had her pottery class to attend. It was one of those free courses students could take up at the Arts Centre and she had immediately signed up for it.

Gathering up the frilly pink apron that Jan Di had given her as a gift, she noticed a slim blue envelope sitting on top of her… Ga Eul turned a brilliant shade of red as she snatched the envelope and stuffed it into her bag and slammed her locker shut. There was only one F4 member who could pick a lock with ease but honestly, didn't Song Woo Bin have any eyes?!

Her heart was still racing when she stepped into class. It was hard to concentrate now; she knew the letter in her bag was from Yi Jeong. Time crawled and finally, when she had reached home, Ga Eul went to her room, locked the door and sat down on her bed. Then she opened the envelope.

_Ga Eul yang,_

_I hope you don't mind but I got Woo Bin to make a special delivery. He volunteered by the way, no arm twisting involved here._

Oh, was she going to give Woo Bin sunbae an earful when she next saw him. Then again, maybe not. If the man had no idea what a box of tampons was, perhaps she should just leave him in blissful ignorance.

_It's getting a bit colder over here, but it feels somehow like Korea during winter. I had to buy new gloves by the way, since you absconded with my old ones. I expect to get them back when I return but in the meantime, you had better wear them so they don't fall apart from misuse. _

_Don't go on skiing trips with Geum Jan Di unless Woo Bin and Ji Hoo are there to prevent you from getting into accidents alright? Yes, I am nagging. _

She laughed when she read that part. That would really put a dent in Yi Jeong's Casanova image. But then again, that wasn't who he was anymore. Was it?

_Classes are going well here, and once again, I'm the best student in the cohort. _

She could practically see the smugness rising from his words and rolled her eyes. The next part made her smile though.

_Although my mentor tells me that I've been thoroughly spoilt by praises I don't entirely deserve. It feels good actually, being taken down a peg or two. It makes me want to work harder. Did I mention he makes me clean the studio once we're done with lessons? I bet you didn't know I'm handy with the broom and mop. _

"That's a shocker," Ga Eul muttered, not quite sure if Yi Jeong was pulling her leg. She was pretty sure that apart from Ji Hoo, the rest of F4 would not have been able to distinguish between a mop and broom even if the fate of their business empires rested on that.

_The doctors are recommending some treatments for my hand. I'll be attending the first session next week, which should be around the time that you get this. _

He didn't say anymore about that but she knew how important it was to him.

_By the way, I should mention that I've found myself a nice companion. Her name is Sadie and she never leaves me alone. I've been spending most evenings with her ever since I met her at the local cafe. _

For a moment Ga Eul found it hard to breathe. She wasn't one to swear but by God, what the hell was Yi Jeong thinking? Was this his idea of honesty? Not that she wanted him to lie to her. Not that he owed her anything since they weren't even in a relationship. Damn, now she was mentally babbling. Resisting the urge to toss the letter aside, she forced herself to continue.

_In fact, as I'm writing this, Sadie is here. She insists on sitting on my lap and that makes writing a bit difficult. But cats are such affectionate creatures, so it's hard to say no to her. _

If he had been with her at that moment, Ga Eul would have happily strangled Yi Jeong. And then she would have kissed him.

_I've got to go now. By the way, in case you haven't noticed, I like your gift. Now, I have two requests. _

_One, I want a longer letter. _

_Two, I want another stamp. _

_Yi Jeong _


	3. II

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

II

From all appearances, Chu Ga Eul looked like the most industrious student in the lecture theatre. She had her highlighters out (pink, green and yellow), her textbook open and she was writing diligently on the notepad on her table. She looked like the most hardworking student in the lecture theatre.

"Looked, being the key word here," Ga Eul thought as she glanced around at her batchmates who were shamelessly sleeping, talking or surfing the web on their handphones. Not that she was paying any more attention but hey, her professor was at the podium giving a useless lecture to no one in particular and if he couldn't be bothered, it was hard for her to stay focused, especially since she could easily go to the library and do her own self studying.

Carefully, she punctuated her last sentence and scanned the notes she had made for next week's test. Yup, she'd just about covered everything. "Now to return to the Land of the Droning," she sighed softly as she tapped her pen on the notepad in front of her.

A glance at the clock revealed that there was at least an hour more to go. And since it would be rude to take her bag and leave… A sudden thought struck her and she smiled. It had been almost a month and a half since Yi Jeong's letter arrived.

Surreptitiously, she tore a clean sheet of paper out of the notepad and started writing.

………………

Yi Jeong's heart skipped a beat when he opened the mailbox and noticed the pale blue envelope inside. His days were full and during his nights, he had become very well acquainted with Swedish television programmes and also cable. More often than not, he also spent nights working on his pottery, determined to squeeze some praise out of his mentor who seemed to believe that the occasional nod and grunt were sufficient encouragement. But even in the midst of all the activity, he wondered when she would write again.

He'd never done this before, exchanged letters with anyone, let alone a girl. And this was not just any girl. Sometimes he wondered if she was his once in a lifetime, or his second shot at love and redemption. And as always, he came to the conclusion that it didn't matter anyway. She was important to him, period.

Chucking the rest of the mail on the counter, he sat down and proceeded to read her letter.

_Sunbae,_

_I always knew you were a bad influence. See, now you've got me writing to you in class while my professor is attempting to teach. Attempting, that being the key word here. I'm trying to pay attention but it's very hard especially when he insists on dimming the lights (since he uses nothing but PowerPoint slides) and has a voice that is more suited for a hypnotist. _

Writing letters during class was Ga Eul yang's idea of misbehaving in class? Yi Jeong thought of all the pranks that F4 had pulled over the years, all led by Jun Pyo of course. He had merely followed along because he had been bored and there was nothing to do. Of course, if his teacher had been as pretty as Ga Eul yang…

Before he could stop himself, a picture of Ga Eul with her hair tied in a loose chignon, wearing a tight knee length skirt and white shirt, and saying "You bad, bad boy" while leaning over him in a dimly lit classroom popped into his head.

Damn, the withdrawal symptoms were getting worse. Whether it was withdrawal from his hedonistic lifestyle or from her, he couldn't tell. Maybe it was both. But he had found a way of dealing with that. That was why his workshop was full of tiny delicate tea cups and pots. They were hard to make and reminded him of his first encounter with her.

_Anyway, life in university is really hectic. I'm not too sure if a business degree is the way to go though. My parents think it's a good thing and switching faculties is apparently a taboo dinner topic. Jan Di says I should pursue my dream. The thing is, I'm not too sure what I want to do. I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually. _

_Pottery classes are fun though. I've enrolled myself in one of the free courses at the Arts Centre and it helps that my teacher is such a nice man. He's even offered to let me sit in for extra sessions at another studio where he works. Isn't he great?_

Yi Jeong's brow arched as he read that line. Normally he would have been happy that she had found a nurturing mentor but this sounded too much like an excuse to get close to her. Ga Eul yang was so innocent; she wouldn't even spot a come-on until it was too late!

Nope, he had to look out for her best interests. As her friend, he was morally obligated to ensure her well being.

"Jun Pyo?"

"Yah! Now you call. When was the last time we talked or you emailed?"

Yi Jeong flinched and held the phone away from his ear. "I need a favour. Who is the pottery instructor that offers free courses at the Arts Centre?"

"Huh?"

"The Arts Centre at Shinhwa University," Yi Jeong said impatiently. "Who is he?"

"How the hell should I know? And just what is this about?"

"Just check it out for me will you?"

Ignoring the steady stream of grumbling that issued from his best friend, Yi Jeong waited.

"Okay, his name is Jun Kim Sang." And that was apparently it because Jun Pyo went silent.

Yi Jeong resisted the urge to bang his head against the wall. "And?"

"Does this have anything to do with Chu Ga Eul by any chance?"

Oh why did Jun Pyo suddenly have to grow a brain now? "Maybe," Yi Jeong muttered, not wishing to know how Jun Pyo had arrived at that conclusion.

"I told you to date her officially before you left. If you'd only listened, you wouldn't be calling because you are jealous of a seventy-five year old ajjushii who has been married to the same woman for the past fifty years."

"Oh." Now he felt stupid but at least he knew that there wasn't any man waiting to pounce on Ga Eul. That made up for his embarrassment. "Thanks."

"See, I was right. Whoa, do you know how many children this guy has—"

Yi Jeong hung up. He would donate some ceramics to Jun Pyo the next time Shinhwa had a charity auction. There were better things to do at the moment.

_I'm sure that by the time you come back, I will be a better potter (as will you. Remember, fighting!). Then you could teach me some of the techniques that you've learnt in Sweden. _

"Think of the pottery, the pottery." Yi Jeong shook his head, trying to block out the list of techniques he wanted to teach Ga Eul, none of them having to do with pottery.

_By the way, I'm still waiting for my photos. _

What was with Ga Eul yang and photos?

_It would be…nice, to see you. I wonder what it's like over there and I can't imagine you in Sweden, even though I have seen pictures of the place. Send me a picture of Sadie. I want to see the competition. _

He chuckled softly. Distance was making Ga Eul yang bolder. He liked that.

_I think I have to stop now. My professor seems to have realised that I'm not taking notes after all. See? You've gotten me into trouble. You owe me sunbae._

_Ga Eul_

_P.S. Is this long enough for you? You know what they say about having too much of a good thing. _

Was she afraid of writing too much? Yi Jeong leaned back and read her letter again. It was unusual for him to feel out of his depth. He had no experience to guide him here, just these words, the moments they shared with each other.

Slipping her letter back into the envelope, he grabbed his jacket and car keys. He had an hour to spare and there was a camera to buy and pictures to take.

* * *

A/N: Hey hey, thanks for reviews! Hope you enjoyed this chapter too.


	4. III

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

III

Ga Eul was wiping the table when she happened to glance up. "Oh no, it's Yun Hyung sunbae!" she gasped and ducked into the kitchen before Jan Di could even react. "Remember, I'm not here!"

Peeping from around the kitchen doors, Ga Eul watched as the tall lanky boy entered the porridge shop and asked for her. This was the third time this week! Wasn't it bad enough that he insisted on walking her to and from classes even though she had tried her best to avoid him? Now everyone thought they were a couple.

Sighing with exasperation, Ga Eul waited until Jan Di came in to tell her the coast was clear. "I don't want to talk about it," Ga Eul said and Jan Di wisely held her peace. "Thanks for helping me out. Again."

The two friends smiled and continued to attend to the remaining customers. Both of them didn't see the bright yellow Lotus sports car disappear around the corner of the road.

…………………………..

Yi Jeong's phone buzzed; someone had sent him a message. It could wait though. He had just started writing his letter to her.

It was a few hours past midnight when he had suddenly woken up. After a short period of tossing and turning, he decided that he would reply to her. Maybe then he would be able to get back to sleep.

_Ga Eul yang,_

_Firstly, if you want something from someone, you don't blame them for your misbehaving in class. Luckily though, since I'm a cool guy, I'm going to forget that you did that. _

He could envision her rolling her eyes at that statement. Well, it was true.

_I'm glad you're pursuing your pottery in spite of university. Your teacher is quite a well known potter you know? Make sure you learn as much as possible from him. If you want to work in private, just use my studio. Or if you need a quiet place to go to should you need to think things through… _

_And speaking of studios, I'm enclosing a photograph of the one in this house. As you would have noticed, it is similar to the one at my home. I guess absence does make the heart grow fonder and this is my way of trying to bring some of what I've left behind with me. _

There were some things he was glad to have left behind though. At least here in Sweden, his mother couldn't force him to track down his useless father and traumatise him in the process. That had been an enormous weight off his shoulders and he had felt free of her, of his parents for once. Some day, he might be ready to talk to Ga Eul yang about this aspect of his past. She would understand.

_Since you asked for a picture of the competition, here's a photo of Sadie sitting on the table as well. Isn't she gorgeous? She insisted on posing alone though, so I'm stuck taking the photo instead of being in it too. That's Sadie for you. And that's carrot cake on the plate, just in case you are wondering. It does taste as good as it looks. You noticed the cake first, didn't you?_

She had an appetite as big as her best friend's. Sometimes, Yi Jeong wondered where all that food went to. In New Caledonia the one thing that had pleased Ga Eul exceedingly, apart from taking shots of the place, was the cuisine. She had looked so pleased with the spread that Jun Pyo had prepared that he couldn't help but to tease her a little. That, and the fact that he had been curious to know if his suspicions about her having a crush on the latter were right. It had been nice to find out that he was wrong.

_And last of all, here's a photo of me. That house in the background is my mentor's. _

He had finally swallowed his pride, knowing that what Ga Eul wanted most was a picture with him in it. "This is so embarrassing," he had muttered, looking around furtively to ensure that he was alone before raising the camera and pointing it at himself. Quickly, he pressed the button and took the shot. There, he had done the dirty deed.

_Unfortunately, I wasn't alone. See that foot in the top right hand corner? That's my mentor. He has a very nasty habit of sneaking up on people, especially me. _

Yi Jeong could still hear the man's sharp laughter ringing in his ears. That had been the ultimate humiliation. And then he had to contend with the inevitable questions. How did the old geezer know the photos were for a girl? Was he that obvious?

_So there, Ga Eul yang. We're even now, especially since I have to endure remarks about how I'd better put in more effort or my girlfriend will leave me. I told him to mind his own business, not that it actually worked._

It felt odd writing that word down. He'd never called anyone his girlfriend before. Publicly, he and Woo Bin scoffed at the word. Privately though, there had never been anyone he had felt enough affection for to address like that. Still, he hadn't exactly rushed to clear up his teacher's misconception.

_I'm due for another session tomorrow at the hospital. I think in a few more months, I should be able to make pottery the way I used to. _

_When I come back, maybe we can go to my studio. If I remember rightly, I've got an extra potter's wheel stashed somewhere there. You can use that. _

_Yi Jeong_

Had he just asked her to go on a date three and a half years from now? His face felt warm and Yi Jeong knew he was blushing. Thank God no one was around to witness this.

Before he could change his mind, he folded the sheet of paper and stuffed it into the envelope, sealing it hastily, along with the photographs. He would mail it out tomorrow on the way to school.

It was almost five in the morning now. Stifling a yawn, he was about to get back into bed when his phone started buzzing continuously. Someone was calling.

…………………………………

"Yi Jeong ah, don't you read your messages?" Woo Bin demanded.

"Have you any idea what time it is?"

"Erm, morning?"

"It's early morning, five to be precise."

"Oops." He'd done it again. "Sorry bro. But you sound like you're wide awake though."

"Well I couldn't sleep."

"Thinking of Ga Eul yang were you?" Woo Bin teased. He could feel Yi Jeong's annoyance through the phone. "Anyway, I'm calling because of her."

"Is she alright?" came the immediate question. Yi Jeong could say and do whatever he liked but truth be told, the rest of F4 knew that something was going on between him and Geum Jan Di's best friend. Somehow or other, Chu Ga Eul had managed to snag Casanova and from the looks of it, was reeling him in. Yi Jeong wasn't putting up much of a fight, come to think of it.

"Well, she's okay. Except that there's this senior of hers at school…"

There was a tense silence before Yi Jeong finally spoke. His voice was carefully neutral. "Is she in a relationship?"

"Whoa, no! As far as I can tell, she's been avoiding the guy like the plague. She can't seem to shake him off though. I was wondering if you wanted me to step in." Woo Bin was pretty sure that Ga Eul wouldn't fall for anyone else but hey, if Jun Pyo could pester Geum Jan Di until she fell in love with him, anything was possible.

Woo Bin was a good friend for looking out for him that way. "Just make sure she's not in any danger. Does he look like the type to get nasty if she keeps saying no?"

"I don't think so."

Good. Because if that happened, Yi Jeong was going to fly back and deal with the jerk himself. That was, if there was anything left after Woo Bin and Jan Di were done with him. "Then Ga Eul yang will have to deal with him."

Woo Bin didn't quite know what to make of this. Either Yi Jeong had grown up a little or he was withdrawing into himself again. "Alright, whatever you say. Take care, man."

"Thanks Woo Bin. I'll call you sometime, yah?" Yi Jeong switched off his phone. His eyes went to the letter that was sitting atop his table.

It was a long time before he managed to fall asleep.

……………………………………………………………….

Ga Eul opened her locker and was taking out her textbooks when it happened again.

"Ga Eul-ssi."

Oh no, she'd been too slow. Either that or he had been lying in wait. "Yun Hyung sunbae," she greeted, reluctantly turning around. No way was she going to address him as just 'sunbae'. That was special; it was reserved for Yi Jeong.

"So, are you going to work again after class? Or can we finally go on a date?"

"Ah, I don't think so."

"Why not?"

Apparently there was no nice way to turn this guy down. She hadn't wanted to resort to this but she was getting desperate. Even Jan Di had reluctantly concluded that there was only one way to make Yun Hyung back off. "Err…I can't go out with you because… She could feel her face turning red. "That is…" He was in Sweden after all. He wouldn't be back until more than three years later. So, it would always be a secret. He would never find out. "…I have a boyfriend. He's in Sweden."

He didn't quite believe her; it was plain from the sceptical expression on his face. Ga Eul was wondering how she could convince him when a chorus of shrieks filled the hallway.

"It's Prince Song!"

And Prince Song was headed her way, Ga Eul noticed. Where on earth had he popped up from? "Woo Bin sunbae."

"Hey Ga Eul yang, Yi Jeong asked me to give you this personally." Okay, so that was a lie but Yi Jeong wasn't going to mind much. Woo Bin smiled at her as he took her hand and placed the envelope in it. "He's put some photos inside, as requested." Giving her a big wink, Woo Bin sailed off, leaving a trail of drooling females in his wake.

Ga Eul was staring at him, flabbergasted when she heard Yun Hyung clearing his throat. "You could've just told me you know." He stared at her accusingly.

"I..er..umm..Yi Jeong sunbae prefers to keep our relationship a secret." Lying wasn't supposed to be this easy. But her brain had hijacked her mouth and she couldn't stop. "It's more for my sake than his. I could do without the publicity."

Ga Eul didn't notice the girls nearby who were listening to every word. Some of them had already whipped out their mobile phones and were texting.

"Well, you should have told me. I don't want to be accused of stealing anyone's girl." Actually, he had been quite horrified to find out it was So Yi Jeong's girl he had been hitting on but he wasn't about to say that. "You really need to be more honest." And with that, he walked off.

"Yes, yes I do need to be more honest," Ga Eul groaned quietly. She was going to go home and scrub her mouth with soap for telling such a presumptuous lie. She could just imagine Yi Jeong smirking at her. She hoped he never found out.

…………………….

"Woo Bin?"

"Yi Jeong, I was about to call you. She got the letter, right in front of that guy. I was going to put it in her locker but hey, she was standing there. It was a coincidence, I swear."

Right. There were never coincidences with Woo Bin. "How was she?"

"She looked a little red in the face. I think she told the guy that you were her boyfriend and that she was waiting for you to come back from Sweden. At least that's what the rumours on campus are saying."

"What?"

"It's all over the school, man. My girls are asking if you really are dating Ga Eul yang."

If his smile got any bigger his face was going to hurt. "Tell them to mind their own business and leave her alone."

"That sounds like a 'yes' Yi Jeong. It's certainly not a 'no'."

"They can read whatever they want into it. That's not my problem."

"Alright then. Anyway, Jun Pyo called the other day…."

As Yi Jeong listened to Woo Bin's update, he realised that for the first time in more than a week, he felt truly relaxed. If Ga Eul yang had started that rumour for the sake of fending off a persistent suitor, he wasn't going to get in the way.

After all, cool guys could be nice guys too.


	5. IV

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

IV

Ga Eul bit her lip, her pen hovering uncertainly over the paper. Should she? Perhaps not. Maybe it would frighten Yi Jeong and then she would never hear from him again. "Pabo, pabo," she muttered, tugging at her hair. Darn, another strand had fallen out. Here she was, forty-five minutes into her letter and she was still stuck at "Sunbae".

"Just tell him. What's so difficult about that? What's wrong with what you have to say?" Ga Eul wondered if she should call Jan Di and ask for her opinion but that would mean going through another "are we" or "are we not" discussion which usually left her emotionally exhausted. Part of the reason why the letters were such a comfort was because they gave both Yi Jeong and her space and time enough to adjust to each other, especially Yi Jeong.

Were there things that she shouldn't write?

Well, there was only one way to find out.

…………………………………………….

Yi Jeong stared at the clay in front of him. He wondered what he wanted to do more: create the vase he had envisioned or to smash the half-formed object until it was nothing more than a broken, pulpy mass.

Against his better judgement, he wiped his hands clean and picked up his handphone. After a few seconds of staring apprehensively at it, he forced himself to switch it back on. Only to discover that he had several messages and miscalls, all of which originated from the same number.

Why, why had she started doing this again? Why get him to call his father and ask him to return home or to stop his affairs? Why him? For so many months he had been safe from her self destructive ways and now she had started dragging him down with her again. He had tried to ignore her but she had been unusually persistent. It had already been a fortnight and she still hadn't given up.

Ripping off his apron, Yi Jeong abandoned the safety of his studio and went back into the house. He had several bottles of wine and at the moment, the idea of downing all of them at one shot was very appealing. Perhaps his mother would stop if he ended up in hospital with alcohol poisoning. Or if he died. She wouldn't be able to haunt him then.

Expertly twisting the cork out, he drank right from the bottle, focusing more on how much he could swallow rather than the rich taste. He stopped when he felt the liquid spill out from the side of his mouth. Suddenly enraged, he threw the bottle across the room, welcoming the sound of the breaking glass. He wanted to destroy something, do something, anything to expel his anger.

He had to get out of the house.

Yi Jeong was pulling out of the driveway when he caught sight of the mailbox. Maybe...just maybe…

Something akin to relief surged through him when he saw the blue envelope there, partially hidden amongst the other mail. Getting back into the car, he toyed with the idea of reading her letter now or going for a drive. Given his current mood, the former was a better idea. He needed something to distract him and if he drove now he was probably going to get into an accident.

"_Sunbae,_

_Firstly, thank you for the photographs. It's nice to see where you work, and apparently where you get needled by your teacher as well. It's comforting, in some way, to know that we're working in the same place, sort of. I mean, since the studios are practically identical... I sound stupid don't I? Please ignore that last part. _

Actually, whenever she realised that she had done something silly, she looked quite adorable. And as he had also found out, it was quite hard to ignore her.

_I'm just feeling weird. It's all because I had this dream…_

Dream? Now that was interesting. He'd had a few dreams too. One he was contemplating mentioning to her. The others were strictly off limits.

_We went out, I'm not even sure how I got there in the dream, but in any case, you showed me around the city. We started out at the seaside actually. I remember you telling me that the university is somewhere near the sea and that on a cloudy day, it looks a bit like the coast off Jeju Island. _

The term "went out" was their euphemism for "date". Had Ga Eul yang missed him so much she had dreamt up a date? Perhaps it was the wine or the need to escape, or the need to be closer to her somehow. Perhaps it was all three factors. Yi Jeong was suddenly seized by an impulse. The seaside was not so far from the rented house actually.

He was there in twenty minutes. Driving along a narrow deserted road that overlooked the cliffs, he pulled over and got out. The wind assailed him at once and he quickly slipped her letter into his pocket. It was cool on his hot skin and for the longest time, he just stood there, breathing in the sharp briny tang of the air as he watched the sea crash again and again against the rocks. Closing his eyes, he recalled driving along a deserted road on the eve of Jun Pyo's wedding, looking a girl who was walking in a field of flowers. His fingers closed over the letter protectively as he took it out of his pocket.

_We sat in your car and we talked for quite some time. I can't recall what we talked about though. And then we went to eat carrot cake. Yes, so I did notice the cake but I noticed Sadie first, okay? Tell her hi for me. She's very pretty but on a good day, I think you're cuter. Marginally. _

Ga Eul yang must have had her tongue firmly in cheek to write such a backhanded compliment. She had clearly been bowled over by his looks when she had first set eyes on him. On the other hand, he had only realised that she was rather pretty when he had seen her wearing that blue dress with her hair tied up. And like his male predecessors had done through the ages whenever they saw a pretty girl, he had promptly done his best to annoy her, partly to get some attention.

She had written a few more paragraphs but he wanted to save it for later. Now, he had to go drop in on a certain cat and let her know the competition was saying hi. Plus, he had a sudden craving for carrot cake.

…………………………….

It was starting to get dark when he returned. From what he could see though, his staff had cleaned up the mess he had made. Slipping off his jacket, Yi Jeong retrieved Ga Eul's letter from his pocket.

_After that, we went shopping and you brought me to a bookshop. I think you must have really liked the books in there because you started pulling them off the shelves and dumping them into my arms. Kind of like what you did to me when you made me bring Jan Di to Jun Pyo sunbae's birthday party. And then I woke up. _

When he had woken up, he hadn't quite realised that he wasn't in Korea. And then came that sharp sense of loss when it sunk in that he was thousands of miles away. Had she felt that too?

_Anyway, that's just a little anecdote I thought I'd share with you. _

_Ji Hoo sunbae mentioned that you were thinking of participating in some exhibition (I didn't quite catch the name) that's supposed to be happening in a couple of months. I take it that your hand is recovering well and that your mentor, regardless of how crabby he is, actually agrees that you are ready. I have a feeling that he actually likes you a lot, no matter how he treats you. _

_I'm so glad that things are working out for you in Sweden. I'm looking forward to the day when you make something that you think is good enough to be displayed. As for me, I'm still working on that wrist. But I've gotten better too, at least that's what my teacher tells me (I hope he's not just consoling me). _

_Don't forget to send me pictures if you do take part in the exhibition yah?_

_Ga Eul_

_P.S. I found the extra potter's wheel. _

He should have known that Ji Hoo would tell Ga Eul about the exhibition. For awhile, Yi Jeong sat there, immersed in his own thoughts and the thick silence that blanketed the room. Then he got up and went to the studio. Switching on the lights, he eyed the wheel and the clay that was sitting on it.

He would have to get rid of that and start from scratch. But there was something else he had to do first. Picking up his phone, Yi Jeong cleared his inbox and call log. Until the exhibition was over, he wasn't going to answer anymore of his mother's calls or read her messages.

There were more important things to do. And there was someone he didn't want to disappoint. Putting on his apron, Yi Jeong went back to work.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Hope you liked this chapter too.


	6. V

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

V

Jan Di snuck another look at her friend. But Ga Eul looked fine. Was she really fine? Or just pretending to be fine?

"Oi, stop staring at me. I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" Jan Di asked doubtfully. "If you want, I could…" She swallowed her words as Ga Eul's patient dark eyes fixed on her. "I mean, I'm sure Ji Hoo sunbae would...Alright fine." She threw up her hands and admitted defeat.

"You're a good friend Jan Di ah. But I'm fine, really." Surprisingly, that was the truth. It had taken her awhile to arrive there though, to find her feet on solid ground again.

In a week the new year would arrive and she had yet to hear from Yi Jeong. Maybe her letter had frightened him off. Well, if a dreamed up date frightened him, then he wasn't worth it. And yet that explanation just didn't make sense. They had come too far for that.

The exhibition had taken place a month ago and the other F4 members had flown to Sweden in a show of support for Yi Jeong. Jan Di had declined to go in lieu of the fact that she needed extra tutorials to pass her exams but had sent her best wishes. Woo Bin had offered to fly her over but Ga Eul had turned him down politely. If Yi Jeong had wanted her to go, he would have asked her himself. She had felt disappointed, but in a strange way, relieved. A face to face encounter might rock the fragile boat they were on. Besides, the question "Why haven't you written?" wasn't exactly the best way to start a conversation.

Jun Pyo had returned to Korea with Ji Hoo and Woo Bin last week. He had managed to squeeze two days into his schedule for Jan Di and Ga Eul had never seen her best friend so happy. They had told the girls about the exhibition and how Yi Jeong's work had been hailed as an absolute success. Nobody would doubt his talent again, Jun Pyo had confidently declared. Ga Eul had felt happy that Yi Jeong had finally experienced the success he had been pursuing but simultaneously, she had been more than slightly hurt that he hadn't passed Woo Bin or Ji Hoo a letter for her.

Why on earth was he so quiet? Still, she refused to ask any questions about him and the guys had offered no extra information either. Jan Di had tried to dig information out of Jun Pyo who, in a fit of exasperation, had shouted that Yi Jeong had refused to say anything about Ga Eul to them. Not even an evening of drunken carousing could loosen his tongue.

After giving up on Jun Pyo in disgust (she was sure he had missed something), Jan Di had offered to ask the much more perceptive Ji Hoo for information but Ga Eul had stopped her. If Yi Jeong wanted to say anything, he could say it himself in a letter, Ga Eul had insisted.

"Ga Eul ah?"

"Yes?"

Ga Eul watched as her best friend since kindergarten fidgeted in her seat for a full minute before finally blurting out her question. "What if Yi Jeong sunbae doesn't write anymore?"

She had asked herself that a thousand times before. "Then I'll have to move on. I've already tried my best." Of course it would hurt like hell but she would get over him. Eventually. She had given up on him willingly once and she would be able to do it again.

…………………..

_And then Ga Eul said she would give up on him and move on_. Jan Di scribbled the sentence down messily before folding the paper into a tiny square and passing it to Ji Hoo. Nowadays, people used handphones for such things in class but their lecturer had a strict 'no handphones in class' rule. Besides, she had tried it once and had found out that she was too slow at messaging for that.

_It sounds like Ga Eul will be fine then. _

_Omo, how could you say that? Didn't Yi Jeong sunbae say anything? Didn't you guys ask him ANYTHING???!_

_Well we tried to but he wouldn't give anything away. He was being very secretive. This is the most secretive he's ever been actually._

_Did he ask how she was?_

_No. And we should stop now because Professor Park is looking at us. _

Jan Di sighed loudly as she pretended to read her textbook. Even if Ga Eul didn't want to know anything, she did. Apparently there was some kind of promise between them, from what she gathered from Ga Eul but it was different from the one she and Jun Pyo had made each other. It was more like keeping a promise to see if anything could happen. On the other hand, Jun Pyo had promised to come back a success so that she would have to marry him. And he showered her with gifts and flowers like there was no tomorrow. Ga Eul and Yi Jeong sent letters after months on end. Jan Di couldn't quite understand it but she wanted to be supportive in spite of her own concerns. Yi Jeong had been the most notorious Casanova around. Had he changed? It seemed so. Woo Bin had mentioned that Yi Jeong had no idea which clubs to frequent in Sweden. Come to think of it, it probably had been deliberate, something to reassure Ga Eul.

As long as Yi Jeong didn't hurt her. Because if he did, Jan Di was going to practice using her scalpel on him. Ji Hoo could stitch him up once she was finished.

……………………………………………………..

For once she wasn't spending her New Year celebrations with her parents. They had run off to visit her grandparents over the weekend and since she had not wanted to follow them (since her grandmother was interested in asking only for great-grandchildren every time Ga Eul visited).

Jan Di, who had similarly been deserted by her family who had opted to spend their celebrations in the suite that Jun Pyo had booked for them, and she had made plans to have a sleepover at her place and to watch the countdown on television, accompanied by Ben and Jerry. Naturally, F4 would crash those plans. That was why she was now out of strawberry ice cream and running out of rum and raisin.

"I think this is the first time I'm spending New Year's Eve at home," Woo Bin mentioned as he lounged on her sofa.

"You mean this is the first time you have spent it in a home and not in a club," Ji Hoo corrected. "How much longer before midnight? Ga Eul, is there anymore rum and raisin?"

She had hidden one small tub right at the back of the freezer behind the meat and fish. "Nope, Ji Hoo sunbae. We're all out."

"There's about forty five minutes to go," Woo Bin replied, his eyes glued to the screen. No wonder, it was Lee Hyori's turn to perform at the New Year Concert that all the stations were broadcasting. Ga Eul barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. It was so typical.

In forty five minutes, the New Year would be upon them and she still hadn't heard from Yi Jeong. Jan DI was currently occupied on the phone with Jun Pyo who had insisted they usher in the New Year together, even if it was via the phone. Ga Eul couldn't help but feel envious.

She wondered how Yi Jeong had celebrated the New Year. It had been a little surprising to find out that he had no plans to return to Korea. Apparently his stay was turning into a kind of mini-exile.

"Ga Eul yang," Woo Bin called out, interrupting her thoughts. "Someone is ringing the doorbell."

Ga Eul stared at Woo Bin who was still happily sprawled out on her sofa. It was clear he had no intention of moving. Apparently even princes did have days when they turned into frogs. Ga Eul made a face at him before going to open the door.

"Miss Chu, this is for you."

"Ah?" Ga Eul could only stare at the man who was holding out a large package to her. "Are you sure you have the right place?" And what kind of delivery man wore a smart black uniform like that?

"I'm sure this is the right place. This is for you from Master So Yi Jeong."

"Oh." It felt like a giant fist had squeezed her heart. And then she felt sweet relief. So he hadn't run away after all. Taking the package in her arms, she thanked the man and closed the door. When she entered the hall, both Ji Hoo and Woo Bin were grinning.

"It's from Yi Jeong." Ji Hoo stated and held out his hand to Woo Bin who reluctantly took out his wallet.

"We had a bet about when he would send another letter, or in this case, a gift. Ji Hoo bet on New Year's Eve but I was so sure he would send it on the first day of the new year. Aish… Ga Eul yang, aren't you going to open it up?"

"Not in front of you two. Go back to looking at Lee Hyori." Ga Eul smiled as she walked up the stairs, the sound of their laughter in her ears.

………………………………………………

Gently, Ga Eul pulled the tape off the box after she had removed the decorative wrapping. Slipping open the lid, she took the letter that was lying atop the protective stuffing. Opening the envelope, she unfolded the letter. Until then, she hadn't really known how she had missed seeing that familiar flowing script.

_Ga Eul yang,_

_You'll pardon me if this first part of the letter is a bit untidy. It's the opening night of the exhibition and I'm currently in a small area of the museum where there are thankfully no people. I need a little break from the endless hobnobbing. Plus, I'm being hounded by some very persistent women, one of which must be at least the same age as Jun Pyo's mother and actually looks a little of her. I'm going to tell him that later; I'm sure he'll freak out. _

_Anyway, by now you ought to know that I did manage to participate in the exhibition and as my teacher puts it, not humiliate myself or him. It was hard but worth it. I didn't manage to send any pictures because there was barely any time but if you have seen them on the news or online, I hope you liked what I made. As I recall, you once said you had high standards and I assume this applies to pottery as well as men. _

Trust him to remember that she had said that. But Ga Eul had seen pictures online and she had to admit it was some of the best she had seen.

_I'm a little nervous but the critics look pleased and I think the reviews will be good. It reminds me a little of my debut at the Venice Biennale. I'm quite glad to see Jun Pyo, Woo Bin and Ji Hoo here; familiarity is comforting. I don't know anyone else here, I know their names and what they do but the only friends I have here are those three._

_Oh dear. I've been spotted by those ladies. Hold on a second. _

_Okay, that took more than a second but I'm now holed up in a bastion of safety: the men's room. It's not as bad as it sounds, the floors are carpeted, there are sofas, wall to wall mirrors and the whole place is scented with something that's a bit too feminine for a men's room but never mind. _

Ga Eul bit back a chuckle. Casanova hiding from the ladies. Who would've expected that?

_Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I tried out that dream outing you had and I must say, it was fun. Of course, it would have been better if you had been there. _

He'd done what? Ga Eul could feel herself blushing and her hand shook slightly. That last sentence especially made her heart beat faster.

_By the time this letter reaches you, it should be less than an hour to the New Year. I hope you didn't think I had forgotten to write, but I need all the time I can get. I have exams coming up, plus there's some business with my family's museum that I have to settle. And what I want to give you is going to be hard to make. Have you looked at it yet (I bet you read the letter first.)?_

Arrghh…she could just see him smirking as he was writing that sentence. But the man did know her, she had to give that to him.

_Don't forget to look out the window at midnight. _

_Happy New Year._

_Yi Jeong _

There was five more minutes to go before the clock struck twelve. Digging through the stuffing, Ga Eul unearthed her present. "Oh," she gasped as she took it out. It was the most exquisite dish she had ever seen. The diameter was fairly wide and every inch of the surface, save for a small circle in the centre, was covered in a minute flower motif. He had used a cobalt blue and gold lustre and the dish shone brightly as light danced across its surface. And in the centre of the dish, he had written her name.

It was the most beautiful thing she had ever received. Lifting it in her hands, Ga Eul held it against her heart, pressing her cheek against the cool ceramic edge. But it was precious because Yi Jeong had made it for her. Below she could hear Woo Bin, Ji Hoo and Jan Di excitedly counting down.

At their shout of "Happy New Year!" she looked out of her window. There was a sound like soft thunder in the distance and then the sky above her window erupted in a blaze of glimmering gold, blue, red and green. For a moment she was back at the skating rink and Yi Jeong was in front of her, snapping his fingers and lighting up the sky with fireworks.

He'd done it again.

Ga Eul was sure that the new year would be a good one. But the best thing about it so far was that she was now one year closer to seeing him again.


	7. VI

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

VI

…_discern infinite passion, and the pain of finite hearts that yearn…_

_---R. Browning _

Three months into the new year and Ga Eul was having serious thoughts about quitting her course. She had been so serious that she had even shared that with her mother. Now, in addition to worrying about the repercussions of switching faculties, she also had to deal with the threat of ending up homeless and on the street.

Not that her parents would ever actually do that, especially since she was their only child, the evergreen apple of their eye. What it would mean though was that they were not going to speak to her for awhile. For a very long while, Ga Eul thought glumly as she stared out the window. The sky was now gunmetal grey, cold and cool, and the light rain outside spattered against her window, leaving hundreds of fragmented liquid specks staining the surface. Life seemed a bit depressing at the moment.

After trying to read her novel for the third time in fifteen minutes, Ga Eul gave up. Restless, she got off the bed and went to the computer. Perhaps surfing the net would help. After checking her mail, she found herself wondering what else she could look at. After ten minutes of thinking, she gave that up too. Great, it was Saturday, for once she had no work and here she was, climbing the walls and wondering what else to do.

"No, I'm not going to do that," she said firmly as the same idea popped into her head for the umpteenth time. She kept her eyes resolutely on the now cooling and blank screen of the monitor, refusing to look at the cupboard where she kept his letters in a box. Neither was she going to look at the beautiful dish he had made her, even though it was sitting on her study desk in clear view. She had been tempted to put it away but had not been able to bring herself to do so.

Plopping back down on her bed, Ga Eul grabbed a pillow and pressed her face into it. What was wrong with her? When would she stop feeling so down? Pulling down the pillow, she eyeballed the dish and let out a loud sigh.

He had done it again. And she didn't mean the fireworks. "You pabo," Ga Eul whispered, knowing she meant both of them. He had swept her off her feet once with a pretend date and it had never quite stopped. She had managed to anchor him but now she felt lost at sea. He was so far away and she had never felt the distance more since the beginning of the year.

She had fallen again, fallen deeper without ever managing to get out. For a year she had been patient and now she loved him more. And it hurt, just being so far away.

That was the reason why she had not written in such a long time. She was afraid of what she might say or do or that he would read her letter and hear the things she was not saying.

Blinking back the sudden heat in her eyes, Ga Eul touched her cold cheek. It was hard, having to stay silent. Why wasn't it enough for her, his promise that he would come to see her first? As long as she kept that place for him as her soul mate…

"Because you want to know, you want something more," she muttered, feeling upset with herself. She had intended to quietly wait for him to return and had not reckoned with her own emotions, her own burgeoning desires. It wasn't in her nature to be quiet and longsuffering in her affections, not like this. She had been willing and able to return him to Eun Jae, knowing that it would make him happy. But now things were different. They were different and at the end of the day, she wanted to know she was loved and wanted in return, measure for measure.

For once, she wanted more than to read in between the lines.

………………………………………….

More than once it had occurred to Yi Jeong that Ga Eul was paying him back in his own coin, that she was making him wait. Well, he had probably made her anxious. So he had no right to feel upset with her. Did he?

"Ow!" A sudden sharp smack caused him to cry out as he snatched his hand back. Specks of wet clay flew and Yi Jeong glared at his teacher.

"Earth to Master So."

"Have you always been such a cranky hermit?" Yi Jeong snapped. "And that's the hand that's undergoing treatment by the way, in case you haven't realised by now."

"If you're going to stare into space while pretending to mould the clay, you might as well not go for treatment. A fat lot of good it will do you."

The tall thin man sat down on the opposite bench. The amber of his eyes was faded from age but they were still very sharp. Yi Jeong could testify to that. The only thing sharper than the old man's eyes was his tongue. "So what happened with your girlfriend?"

"Huh?"

"Just stop that will you? Half-baked work is no work at all. Let's get whatever it is you are pondering over out of the way. If not, you'll never progress."

"She's not my girlfriend," Yi Jeong said irritably, wiping his arms clean.

One thin black brow arched. "Really? So why were you slaving over that dish? Didn't she like it?"

"I'm not talking about this."

The silence lengthened as the two men stared at each other, the younger one clearly irate, the elder, cool and calm.

Honestly, his teacher had a personality that made Jun Pyo look like a little lamb. Realising that silence was not going to get him anywhere and that tomorrow would just be a repetition of today, Yi Jeong gave up. He couldn't be further humiliated than he already was and frankly, he was too tired to care at the moment.

"I don't know," he finally replied. "She didn't say anything."

"Why don't you ask her?"

Because that wasn't supposed to be the way it worked. Somehow, that reason sounded a tad childish to be mentioning to his teacher.

"Ah, I see. It's 'her turn'."

Cripes. Was there nothing that was sacred or private? How did the old man know?

"So let me get this straight. Those photos and that dish, plus other things I wouldn't know about, have all been for a girl who isn't your girlfriend and whom you are angry with for not getting in touch with you. Plus, it's making you so distracted that you haven't made anything decent in almost a month."

Now when it was put to him that way, it occurred to Yi Jeong that he wasn't being seen in a very fair or flattering light. "That's not true," he protested. "That's not the whole picture," he hastily amended, seeing the way his teacher was starting to lean back against the table. Whenever the old man relaxed like that, it usually meant that he was getting ready to pounce. "We've got an... an understanding, something like that."

"Explain." That was a demand, not a question.

He was expected to sum up all the upheavals and revelations, suppressed emotions and tentative hopes that were inextricably linked to Ga Eul yang in a couple of sentences? That wasn't likely to happen. "I made her a promise. That I would… that we could…try. When I got back. "

"So essentially you 'sort of' promised yourself to her but didn't make her your girlfriend? And she actually likes you."

Yi Jeong's glare bounced right off his mentor's head.

Standing up, the older man adjusted his sleeves and stared down at his student with amusement. "Think about it from her point of view. You make her a nebulous promise, leave for the other side of the world and occasionally you communicate with her. Oh don't look so surprised, you can't fool me. Every two or three months you walk on air around here for a day and I know why. It's been a year and I'm assuming that things haven't remained stagnant. They couldn't have, if your present is anything to go by. And if things have changed, then perhaps your promise needs some adjusting. Maybe that's why she hasn't written yet."

Yi Jeong was still staring at his teacher when the latter stopped just outside the door. "And if your distraction is anything to go by, you might be ready for that adjustment too." And then he shut the door, leaving his very stunned pupil behind.

………………………………………..

_Sunbae,_

_I'm sorry I haven't written for such a long time. Things here have been a little stressful. I'm still thinking of changing my course and my mother has threatened to tell my father and then throw me out on the streets. She won't do that but they will be extremely angry and that makes me anxious. Plus, I still have yet to figure out what I am going to do a degree in. At least I know what I don't want to do. That is a good thing, I think. I have to be positive somehow right?_

_What I do want to tell you is that I had a wonderful New Year. As I'm writing, your present is sitting on my table and while it gleams under the lamplight, it glows in the moonlight. The fireworks were beautiful; they reminded me of our pretend date (By the way, Woo Bin told me that one of your favourite restaurants now offers a high class (read: obscenely expensive) version of the burger. This might be more suitable for your delicate stomach). _

_I'm also very proud of what you've done for the exhibition. I've seen the pictures and after reading your letter, I can kind of imagine what the opening night was like for you. I hope you continue to have more successes while you are there. _

_Since you claimed that you were the best student in your cohort, I'm assuming you breezed through your exams. Did you manage to settle the matter with the museum? _

_I need to stop here. I just want you to know that I'm okay. There's just a lot to sort out at the moment. I'll write again when I can. Take care. _

_Ga Eul_

_P.S: Each time I read this, I think about you. _

_I wonder do you feel to-day_

_As I have felt since, hand in hand,_

_We sat down on the grass, to stray_

_In spirit better through the land…_

………………………………………………

The letter had finally arrived two weeks ago. Obviously everything was not okay with her, she'd never taken such a long time to write and he wanted to help. Ironically, he was part of the problem, or at least one of two problems. There was nothing he could do about her university problems. But as for the other issue…

……………………………………………...

_Ga Eul yang,_

_I'm not going to ask whether you've managed to sort out your school issues, since I doubt things would have changed in slightly more than a week. However, it is a good thing that you have a clear idea of what you don't want to do. Sometimes, in order to pursue your dream, you will hurt those who love you. But because they love you, they'll forgive you eventually. It's something I learnt from my hyung (yes, I do have an older brother, in case you didn't know). He and Eun Jae are dating by the way. It's a long story that I'll tell you about next time. _

_That's the only advice that I have to offer and I hope it will help you when you decide what you want to do. _

_As for the museum matters, yes, those have been settled. I've managed to secure the items we need for the new exhibitions later in the year. _

_I was wondering why you didn't write sooner but at least I now know that you liked your present. It's the only piece that I'm making like that so you have a one of a kind So Yi Jeong ceramic dish in your budding collection. Of course, I intend to enlarge said collection over the next three years so either get a display cabinet or another table. _

_By the way, your transparent attempt to needle me about my (perfectly normal) digestive system will not work. But since you obviously want me to take you out, I'll oblige. So, that makes it two dates so far—one to my studio and another to this restaurant (I think we can safely say that we're past the 'outing' phase and as you pointed out, I'm not very good at pretending either). _

_I'm not sure if this is a coincidence, but I happen to like R.B's poetry. He'll forgive me for mangling his stanzas but when I read these lines, I think of us. _

…_Where does the fault lie? What the core_

_O' the wound, since wound must be?_

…_Only I discern—_

_Infinite passion, and the pain_

_Of finite hearts that yearn._

_Yi Jeong_


	8. VII

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

VII

Yi Jeong's letter had arrived five days ago and she was still floating on cloud nine. Even her university woes had shrunk into the far horizon and nothing could dampen her mood. His message had been crystal clear: he missed her as much as she did him, and that when he returned to see her, it would not be just because she had no one else. He would give their relationship a serious shot at becoming something more, something permanent. As always, thinking of his letter suffused her with warmth and she smiled. Although they weren't an official couple yet, they were definitely past the 'friends' stage. It made her feel a lot surer of herself and more confident the next time she wrote.

"Ah, Teacher is smiling to herself again."

The high pitched voices of her students brought Ga Eul back to earth. "Hmm, I see that instead of working on your…your…" What was that? She couldn't quite make it out.

"It's a strawberry," a girl stated, pouting a little.

"Well, let's see if we can make it even more realistic. Now, you need to position your hands like this…" As Ga Eul demonstrated, and manoeuvred their small hands and fingers on the clay, she realised that she wasn't having a good time simply because of Yi Jeong's letter. She genuinely enjoyed teaching the children. They were sometimes clingy but sweet and eager to please, especially at their tender age. And when they finally made something she deemed well done, their joy knew no bounds.

She wondered if she could speak to her teacher about helping out on a regular basis. Teacher Jun had spoken about opening up one more class for the children's pottery course and she found herself thinking more and more about volunteering for the job this past week. It would mean cutting down on other activities; the most probable thing that had to give would be her pottery sessions with Eun Jae.

She felt slightly guilty, thinking about that. Eun Jae had been her first pottery teacher, and she had taught her more than just moulding clay. But things had already been complicated to start with and she had always felt somewhat deceitful about not telling Eun Jae that the man she had mentioned was Yi Jeong. She didn't know how the former would respond and she didn't want things to be awkward between them. Perhaps now would be a good opportunity to make a complete confession. But since Eun Jae had moved on with Yi Jeong's hyung, of all people, maybe they could still be friends.

Even as she waved good bye to her students and cleaned a few still dirty hands and cheeks at the door, she was wondering how he had discovered that his first love had been dating Il Hyun. She had gotten the latter's name from Woo Bin but hadn't disclosed her reason for asking. No wonder he had cried with such agony on the rooftop that morning. Not only had he missed his chance three years ago, he would never have another chance because he would not ruin his brother's happiness.

After she had rearranged the tables and chairs, and locked up the classroom, Ga Eul found her feet taking her down a familiar street. Soon, she was standing in front of the studio where she had signed up for her first pottery class.

Gently, she pushed the door open and stepped in. Down the corridor, she could hear quiet chatter and the occasional laugh. There was a session going on and Eun Jae was inside. Did she really want to do this? Biting her lip, Ga Eul took a step forward and wavered. Then she left. Eventually she would tell Eun Jae but not today. She wasn't ready yet.

…………………………………………………

_Sunbae,_

_Firstly, I doubt R.B. would mind you rearranging his poem and if I do say so, I prefer your version. I'm feeling much better now and you can wipe that smirk off your face please. By the way, if I did want you to take me out, I would tell you. But since you obviously want to go out, it's a date then. If we do watch a movie after lunch, you can pick the movie and buy the popcorn this time. _

_I haven't quite decided what to do yet with regards to school but at least I have found something new that I enjoy. Well, it has to do with pottery classes; Teacher Jun offers pottery classes to children and I was asked to relief teach when the regular teacher fell ill. I liked it a lot; the children are so sweet and it's nice to be the teacher for a change. I've volunteered to teach the extra class he is opening up and Teacher Jun has said yes! My schedule's going to be very packed now but I'll be paid a decent sum and best of all, it'll be something to look forward to (classes take place twice a week). _

_I'm going to have to stop going to Eun Jae's studio for lessons though. I feel a little like an ingrate; she's taught me so much and I owe her a lot. Actually, I owe her the truth about what has happened; she never knew the man I was talking about was you and I've always felt guilty about it. I don't want to ruin my friendship with her; neither do I want to make things awkward between you and her. However, I don't think I want to avoid the topic forever. I could do with your advice again. _

_And since we are on this topic, I was just wondering how you found out that she was dating your hyung. When you wanted to give up everything, I kind of guessed that your attempt at reconciliation hadn't worked out as I hoped for but I never knew why until now. You don't have to tell me about it if you're not ready to though._

_As for what's happening over here, Jae Kyung unnie is back to visit her parents and she's been bringing me and Jan Di on shopping sprees. I dare not touch or look at anything for too long if not she'll buy it for me. To be honest, she really is one of the nicest people I've ever met and I hope she does get her happy ending. It helps that Jun Pyo sunbae is overseas but she seems fine talking about him. You might be interested to know that she's forced Woo Bin sunbae to attend one or two formal functions; she says she needed him to ward off the suitors her parents were trying to force on her. I bet Woo Bin sunbae hasn't mentioned this to you though. _

_I've got to go now. Classes start in an hour and I want to mail this letter first. I don't want to keep you waiting if I can help it._

_Ga Eul_

Yi Jeong was smiling to himself as he put down the letter. He could just imagine Ga Eul yang rushing to the post office and then off to class that morning. She was so sweet; it was hard to believe that it had been almost one and half years since he had seen her. He wondered if she had changed; whether she still wore her hair long and straight, if she still wore those black leggings all the time, what her current perfume smelled like.

He missed her acutely at times, and sometimes it was enough just to know that she was there waiting for him. It felt safe. The relationship he shared with Ga Eul was entirely new to him but he was sure that she wouldn't let him fall.

'I wouldn't want to keep you waiting too Ga Eul yang,' he thought as he took out a sheet of paper. His teacher was right; something had changed and adjustments had to be made. Not for the first time was he glad that he had listened to the man's advice. 'For a bachelor, he sure knows a lot about women and relationships.' Maybe there was a story behind that too but he wasn't going to ask if his teacher wasn't going to share; that would be asking for trouble.

………………………………….

_Ga Eul yang,_

_Thanks for letting me know about Woo Bin. You're right; he hasn't so much as breathed a word about this even though I called him last night to catch up. Ji Hoo told me though so if Woo Bin asks how I know (and I will eventually ask him what's going on with Monkey [Jun Pyo's nickname for Jae Kyung]), I'll say it's Ji Hoo's fault. Woo Bin's not one to be forced to go on dates though, so something might be going on. _

_Since cool guys don't fight with girls, I'm going to let the issue of who asked whom out first rest. However, if we are going to watch a movie, I'm booking the theatre in advance. That way, we'll have the whole place to ourselves. But most importantly, it'll keep Jan Di from dragging Ji Hoo along to spy on us. _

_I'm glad you've discovered you enjoy teaching children pottery. I've always loved pottery but my teachers, both good and bad, have always made a difference. It sounds like you get along well with the children; not everyone is cut out for that kind of job. Have you ever considered teaching fine arts? It's an option you can explore if you find that you enjoy doing this on a regular basis. _

_With regards to telling Eun Jae the truth, I think it's something that will have to be done, sooner or later. You haven't said much about your relationship with her but I'm guessing that she must like you a lot, to have shared so much of our history with you. You decide when but I don't think I'd be wrong to say that Eun Jae is not going to be angry. Things may be awkward though. However, she is happy and with my brother now so I doubt that she will hold this against you._

_As for how I found out about them… that night when you told me that I was a coward, that I should go after her if not I would lose her… Well, that's what I did. I went to find her and she was on the phone with someone and it sounded as though she was talking to a boyfriend. I wanted to make sure and that's when I found out. She went to the café my brother owns and what I saw confirmed my suspicions. _

_I'm still a little uncomfortable talking about this, but I want you to know what happened. You're the only person who knows. _

_However, you're not the only one with questions. I'd like to know why you decided to give up on me when we spoke, or rather, when you spoke at Namsan. I still don't understand how you came to that decision, especially after that night when I told you that you had taught me not to run away anymore. _

_Let me know how pottery classes with the children go. I'm betting you'll be a hit with them, especially with the boys. _

_Yi Jeong_


	9. VIII

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

VIII

Balancing her salad and sandwich on top of her books and a cup of coffee in one hand, Ga Eul looked around for an empty bench. She had exactly forty-five minutes before her last class and she intended to make good use of it. Five minutes would be spent gobbling down her food, thirty minutes spent cramming last minute information into her brain and the remaining five minutes would be spent running to the classroom so that she would be right on the dot when the period started. And then she would know if all that studying was going to pay off when she sat for the test.

Ga Eul was in the process of chewing when someone tapped her on the shoulder. The sudden touch from behind made her jump with shock and she knocked over her coffee. Not only that, she started choking as she accidentally inhaled some of her food.

"Oi! Ga Eul yang, are you alright?"

The idiot who had snuck up on her from behind was slapping her back, trying to help her. She also recognised who it was from his voice

"Woo Bin sunbae!" she wheezed. If she didn't die of suffocation, she was going to kill him. And then a particularly hard whack from him dislodged the remains of her sandwich and she grabbed a napkin, coughing into it. "You pabo..."

"I heard that. Here, drink this."

He held out a Snapple and she took it from him, downing the sweet liquid which soothed her throat. "Do you always sneak up on people like this?"

"Usually when I plan to do something nefarious and underhanded to them," he deadpanned. "And although you may think otherwise, this isn't one of those occasions. Are you alright?"

"I am now. Next time though, I may not survive," she said wryly.

Woo Bin chuckled, mostly unrepentant but relieved that she was fine. He had been about to do the Heimlich manoeuvre on her when she had coughed up the sandwich. Thankfully nothing had happened. Yi Jeong would kill him otherwise. "Point taken, Ga Eul yang. Anyway, I need to talk to you about something. You free?"

Actually, she wasn't but Ga Eul couldn't bring herself to chase Woo Bin away. He was too good a friend and he looked pretty serious too. "Is this about Jae Kyung unnie?"

"Monkey?! What does she have to do with this?"

Maybe it was just the sunlight in her eyes but Ga Eul could've sworn that Woo Bin had blushed, just for a split second. "Why do you all insist on calling her that?"

"I see Yi Jeong has told you about the nickname. Why don't you ask him? Or better yet, get him to demonstrate how someone gets a nickname like that." He waggled his brows suggestively at her.

"I'll pass. So what is this about then?"

Woo Bin hesitated for a moment before starting. "Ga Eul yang, how much do you know about Yi Jeong's family?"

Enough to know that his parents were probably responsible for his fear of commitment. "Umm, just some. I met his father actually. It's not what you think," Ga Eul hastily added when she saw Woo Bin's shocked expression.

"For a moment I thought hell had frozen over. No offence, any man serious about you would bring you back to meet his family eventually, that's what normally happens. But Yi Jeong has never thought of his family as being…I mean, like that. I think you should know by now that although his house is huge, he spends all his time either outside or in his studio."

"I think I know what you mean. His father and his mother…" She looked down at her shoes. There was no need for her to voice out what she knew about them based on that horrible date. "Is his mother ill? The other time, he mentioned that she was in hospital."

Woo Bin gave a humourless laugh. "She puts herself there Ga Eul."

"Huh?"

"Each time she finds out about Yi Jeong's father and his women. She's always been like that, even when he was young."

For a few seconds Ga Eul stared at Woo Bin in confusion until the implication of his words dawned on her. "Oh…" She didn't know what to say. But her mind was full of Yi Jeong and the way he had looked that night. That wild angry light in his eyes and that calculatingly cruel expression… Her heart squeezed with pity for him. She could not imagine growing up in a household like that. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because for the past three days, Mrs So has been warded in the Intensive Care Unit. She's been taken home today and doctors and nurses have been hired to keep a strict watch on her for an indefinite period of time. Yi Jeong knows, I've called him, Ji Hoo has too but he refuses to come back to see her. He won't even talk to her. Even Jun Pyo sent him a message but he isn't listening." Woo Bin sighed in frustration, leaning back against the bench. "She keeps asking for him. In her current state, if she tried to do something again, she just very well might…"

Woo Bin didn't have to finish that sentence. "Why won't Yi Jeong come home?"

There was just no nice way to dress up the ugly truth. "Because she'll ask him to go find his father and interrupt his dates with his current mistress. And Yi Jeong has been doing that for years until he went to Sweden. Whenever he refused she would threaten to harm herself."

He'd not said a word of this to her. In fact, both of them had acted as though that horrible third date had never happened. "Has she been calling him in Sweden?"

Woo Bin nodded. "He's not picked up for a few months. This might be the result. Ga Eul ah, I don't want to put you in a difficult position but—"

Before she knew what she was doing, Ga Eul rose to her feet. "You want me to ask him to come back. I don't think I can do that. I don't think I want to do that." Gathering her books hastily in her arms, she looked up at Woo Bin, her face pale. "It won't do him any good, if what you say about his mother is true."

"Just speak to him. He doesn't want to listen to us but he might consider what you say."

The sharp ringing of the bell pierced the air and with a start, Ga Eul realised that class had started. "I have to go. I have a test."

"Think about it," Woo Bin called after her, watching as she sprinted away from him. He hated doing this but he had made this choice after much careful thinking. Yi Jeong was furious with his mother and maybe he didn't see how serious it was this time. As much as Woo Bin despised Mrs So's behaviour and how she had damaged her son, he felt that this time, Yi Jeong should come home. If he didn't, there might be too much to regret.

…………………………………………………….

For once, reading Yi Jeong's letter left her with mixed feelings. She had been elated that he had opened up enough to share that painful event with her and at the same time, she had been horrified that her advice had resulted in his having been further hurt. But he had still been willing to make that promise to her at the kiln, in spite of her less than stellar moment at Namsan. Apparently, he was braver than she had given him credit for.

And then there was the troubling news that Woo Bin had given her. When she had been little, her mother and father had had one raging argument and she had spent the whole time huddled in her room under the covers, listening to them yelling at each other. She couldn't imagine Yi Jeong spending his whole childhood like that, having to deal with a philandering father and a suicidal mother. No wonder he would rather be Casanova, the one who did the leaving. That way, no one else would abandon or hurt him.

Would she be out of line to ask him to consider returning? In her heart of hearts, Ga Eul knew that she couldn't give him any advice; she didn't have the right to. But he at least had to consider that option and know that he wouldn't regret his decision no matter what the outcome. She wondered if he had even thought that far ahead or whether he had simply shut out the matter. Would he shut her out if she brought it up? Or worse, would they lose the intimacy that they shared in their letters? Just the thought of that caused her pain.

Ga Eul stared at the letter in her hand. She didn't know what to do.

…………………………………………………….

_Sunbae,_

_I'll have you know that my fan club at the pottery class consists of both girls and boys. The position of president is still open though and if you want to run for that, I promise that I'll give it proper consideration. However, you have serious competition from my best student. _

_I've never thought of teaching as a career before. I'll keep what you've said in mind; it does sound like something I could pursue, especially if I get to teach art as well. At least I have something to say when my parents scream at me. It might console them to some extent as teaching is a respectable job._

_Thank you for your advice and reassurance concerning Eun Jae. I don't know when I'm going to talk to her but I've made up my mind that it should be soon at least. I don't want to keep hiding; I'd rather get it out, and over and done with. Wish me luck._

_I know you probably are going to call me a pabo for this but I am sorry that you got hurt while listening to my advice. It never occurred to me that Eun Jae had someone else in her life and I never asked. I still stand by my advice to always express your feelings to your loved one but I wish you had been spared that kind of experience. Which brings me to your question about Namsan… _

_That morning when you saw the sign, you asked for another chance with her. Of course it hurt to see you in pain but I remembered your words, and I thought you still loved her. And that night at your studio happened just a few days later…When I finally had a moment to carefully think of everything, I concluded that we had gotten carried away. You had made a decision which you knew was right and which made you happy. And maybe you felt grateful that I'd helped you to some extent to get to that stage. _

_So I decided that rather than continue to pursue you, I'd give you up. I didn't want you to feel pressured to date me because I'd helped you; that isn't what being soulmates is about. It was hard that day, to walk away from you but I was convinced that it was the right decision for us. I was sure that was what you wanted._

_And then you came to look for me that day and we went to the kiln. I always wondered what made you change your mind but I didn't want to ask you at that moment. I guess I'm just glad that…that we have this._

_Anyway, I think you are correct to suspect that something is going on with Woo Bin sunbae and Jae Kyung unnie. She used to be so eager to go out all the time but when I called her today, she told me she couldn't make it and I could've sworn that I heard Woo Bin sunbae in the background. I've yet to catch them together though; maybe it's time to get Ji Hoo and Jan Di involved in this matter and arrange a spying expedition. _

_I hope everything is fine with you. If anything happens, you will let me know? I've been told I'm a good listener, and I promise not to give advice unless you want it. _

_Ga Eul _

_***_

A/N: Many thanks to all who read and reviewed! Hope you enjoyed this one too. ^_^


	10. IX

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

IX

Woo Bin was sound asleep when his handphone shrilled on the side table next to his bed. Groaning, he buried his head further into the pillows, hoping that the silk covers and goose down feathers would block out the fiendish sound. Unfortunately, he had set the volume at maximum and the most expensive pillows in the world could not help.

Stubbornly, he lay there, counting down as the phone rang. After what seemed like a small eternity, it finally stopped. "Monkey really is a monster," he muttered as he pulled the covers up around him and settled back down to sleep. He had been on the brink of sweet oblivion when the phone rang again.

"Aish!" Woo Bin snapped and snatched up the offending object. "For God's sake Monkey, it's three in the morning and I got back at two!"

Silence.

Woo Bin's sleep and alcohol addled brain struggled to digest this. Had he offended her? "Oi, Monkey? Say something."

There was more silence.

"Umm, not Monkey?" Oh please don't let it be his father. That would just be too humiliating, not to mention that his father would be ever so keen to merge their company with JK holdings if he discovered that the sole heiress to that company was currently pursuing his only son. Okay, it wasn't too fair to Monkey if he put it that way. Jae Kyung seemed keen on him and he had given her the green light that day. He hadn't meant too but apparently buying her that teddy bear meant a lot to that girl. However, he did feel something…

Woo Bin realised that he had wandered off mentally while still holding the phone. "Hello?"

"What did you tell Ga Eul yang?"

Oh, it was Yi Jeong. And judging by that icy tone of voice, it was Angry Yi Jeong. "Yi Jeong ah, perhaps we could have this conversation later?"

"Now is as good a time as any."

Damn, thankfully though, he had consulted Ji Hoo and was prepared for this moment. If only he wasn't sleep deprived and semi-inebriated. Taking a deep breath, Woo Bin sat up and switched on the light, flinching from the soft orange glow. He needed to wake up. In this mood, Yi Jeong was somewhat unpredictable.

"Ah, you got Ga Eul yang's letter I'm assuming."

On the other end of the line, Yi Jeong's hand tightened on the fragile piece of paper he was holding, crumpling it. "What did you tell her?" The last thing he wanted her to know was his family's dirty secrets. Not like this. He had done enough damage that night with his own father and he wanted to bury the incident completely. Somewhere, somehow, Yi Jeong had decided that it was possible to keep Ga Eul separated from his parents and all they represented. She didn't have to know all that shameful history.

"She had to know ev—"

"No she didn't!" Yi Jeong interjected furiously. "She didn't have to! You had no right at all—"

"And when did you plan on telling her? When you come back to Korea to attend your mother's funeral?" Woo Bin raised his voice. Although he was trying to keep it in check, he could feel his temper rising.

"That has nothing to do with this." Woo Bin would never know but those words had drained the blood from Yi Jeong's face. He gripped the phone so tightly his knuckles turned white. It horrified him to think of his mother dying; he still loved her, wished with all his heart he didn't but he did. But he didn't know what to do with her. He was afraid of her in some ways.

"Well we figured if you didn't want to listen to us, perhaps you would listen to her."

"We? So the rest are in on this too?"

"Ji Hoo and I discussed this. Jun Pyo knows about it. Look, if you and Ga Eul yang become something more than friends," Woo Bin chose his words carefully, "then she'll find out eventually. You can't hide this forever."

Those familiar words brought him back more than ten years ago. Jun Pyo had told him the same thing when they had found out about his mother's latest suicide attempt. He had skipped school for four days keeping vigil by her bedside. It was inevitable that they would discover his family problems.

"But that isn't why we talked to her; we did it because we're pretty desperate. You won't respond to messages or emails, let alone calls from us about your mother. We figured that Ga Eul yang was our next best shot." After all, men in love tended to listen more to their women. Jan Di and Jun Pyo were a fine example of the woman domesticating the man. "We told her a little, mostly about why your mother is in hospital, that it's not the first time, that this is the worst incident. We didn't tell her everything but we told her enough I guess. She didn't want to talk to you about this though, so don't be mad with her."

Rationally, logically, it made sense. He might have done the same thing himself if it had been any of the other three. But unfortunately, Man did not live by logic alone. He felt betrayed and exposed, vulnerable. Worse, he hadn't been there when Ga Eul had learnt the ugly truth. He would rather have experienced her reaction than imagined it; the latter was far worse. The last thing he wanted to see on her face was pity.

Woo Bin didn't know what else to say, only that this long silence was beginning to unnerve him. It didn't help that Yi Jeong was halfway around the world although he was prepared to fly there and thrash things out if need be. "Yi Jeong?"

"You didn't have any right, Woo Bin. Not you, not Ji Hoo or Jun Pyo. You've gone too far."

Damn it. Looks like he was going to have to go over after all.

"But I understand."

In spite of himself, Woo Bin exhaled with relief. "I know. I'm sorry man, we're sorry. You're gonna call eventually right?"

Even at that moment, the idea of never speaking to his best friends again had never entered his mind. "Of course you pabo. I'm hanging up now."

……………………………………

Days passed and Yi Jeong still had no idea what he was going to do, not about his mother, not about Ga Eul. He knew that the latter would be anxiously waiting for some kind of response, but he couldn't bring himself to write to her. Each time he lifted the pen either too little or too much came to mind. Instead, he threw himself into his work and for once, his teacher had no wisecracks to make. Maybe the old man sensed something was wrong. The wall that Yi Jeong had built around the topic of his mother had been breached and now he found himself again alternating between worrying about and being angry with her.

He hoped Ji Hoo had gotten his message to tell Ga Eul that she had nothing to worry about, that he wasn't upset with her. That was all he could do at the moment.

He was working in his studio when his butler arrived with the lunch tray and then left quietly. Determined to finish, he spent another hour incising the crane into the clay before finally stopping for his meal. To his surprise, apart from the pumpkin porridge and coffee, there was a blue envelope marked 'Urgent'. It had to be Ga Eul yang's letter.

After hesitating for a few minutes, Yi Jeong pushed aside his reservations and opened it.

_Sunbae,_

_Firstly, I'm sorry if my letter upset you. I wasn't sure of what to say but I didn't mean for it to make you angry. Ji Hoo sunbae passed me your message but I still want to apologise._

_The past few days, maybe months must have been difficult for you and your family. This is the last time I will mention this if that is what you want, but please just listen to what I have to say. _

_If you have clearly thought through matters and realise the consequences of the decision you make, if you are able to live with it, then stand by your decision. It may not matter much, but you will always have my support. _

_In case you decide to return home, I've enclosed something inside the envelope. If you decide to stay, then throw it away._

_Please let me know how you are doing. I miss your letters. _

_Ga Eul_

Yi Jeong breathed in deeply and closed his eyes, finally resigning himself to what his heart had been telling him months ago. He would go home; he could not stay away anymore. He was still fearful of what seeing his mother would do to him, how much of the solid ground that he had found she would cut away. But he could not live with himself if she finally succeeded in taking her life like this.

Checking the blue envelope, he found a slimmer white one enclosed inside. A small note was the first thing he pulled out.

_It's not much because I can't afford much. Jan Di once told me that Ji Hoo sunbae said that he can't sit in economy class because there isn't enough leg space. First class tickets are out of my league for the next ten years at least but I think maybe two economy tickets might make the trip a little more bearable. If you check in earlier (like us commoners), you can request for a window seat. _

_Ga Eul_

The vase had been meant to be submitted as an assignment for his lecturer. Yi Jeong was sure that he would get an indefinite extension. After all, not many professors would say no if one had to return to visit one's suicidal mother.

Picking up his phone, he called the airport first. Not flying via private jet or first class was one thing. But his name would get him a secured request for a window seat. And just to ensure his comfort, he bought tickets for the two seats in front of and behind him as well.

After all, as the popular adage went: those who could, should.


	11. X

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

X

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We will be arriving at Incheon International Airport in about fifteen minutes. On behalf of the crew, I would like to thank you all for flying with Korean Airlines…"

The captain's voice faded into the background as Yi Jeong lifted the window screen. He had just woken up minutes before and was feeling slightly befuddled and amazed that he had actually managed to sleep. If not for Ga Eul yang, he would not have been subjected to this ….unique learning experience.

Firstly Ji Hoo had been spot-on about the lack of leg space. At least his country bumpkin had had the good sense to buy two seats for him. And buying the seats in front of and behind him had helped immensely; he was free to lean his seat back as much as he wanted and there was no one around to disturb him.

Secondly, Yi Jeong had learnt that if one person coughed, everyone coughed. To his dismay, it had for some unfathomable reason been a rather fully booked flight and the result, to him, was nothing short of a health hazard. He had toyed with the notion of releasing the oxygen mask but had decided to tough it out when good sense prevailed.

To distract himself from dwelling on the unspeakable number of germs in the air, he had read the thick crime novel he had picked up on a whim while waiting to board the flight. It had involved art theft and he had thought it would at least keep him occupied. The saucy and explicit love scenes hadn't been something he had expected though. And before long, his fertile imagination had started superimposing Ga Eul yang's face over that of the blonde and blue eyed heroine's. It made the story so much more interesting when he thought of it that way.

He finished the novel before half the flight had been over and spent the rest of the time attempting to play the computer games they had offered. He must have fallen asleep during his eleventh attempt to slay the dragon.

Looking out of the window, through the veil of clouds, he could see the city lights shining below.

He was home.

……………………………

Nothing had changed. The house was as it had been when he had left it. The only thing that had shown signs of any change was his studio.

Gently, Yi Jeong picked up a shallow bowl that she had made. Shaped like a young lotus leaf, it was pure white with one single blue-grey lotus flower decorating the base. It was beautiful, not perfect to his expert eye but she had made amazing improvement.

She had left more signs of her presence: the potter's wheel, a pink apron, a pale gold shawl. Gently, he touched the soft wool. He would buy her pure silk next time. The thought of her in his studio comforted him somehow; it felt right envisioning her here.

A soft knocking on the door alerted him to the butler's presence. "Sir, your mother is awake now. I've informed her that you have returned."

Fear and affection collided as he left the sanctuary of his studio. Later Yi Jeong would realise that he barely recalled the walk through his colossal house. Along the corridor to her room, he barely nodded at the doctor and nurses who passed him by. The butler must have told them to leave. Stopping at the dark polished mahogany doors, he took a deep breath, placed his hand on the handle, felt the cold invade his skin. Then he made himself turn it and entered the room, slipping in swiftly and shutting the door behind him.

The room was, surprisingly, not dark but rather bright. The day curtains had been drawn, there were fresh flowers in tall plastic vases. And there she was, sitting up in her bed, dressed in a bright blue silk robe and smiling as she held out her hands. For a moment he was five again and it was just an ordinary morning, he was just saying good morning to his mother. She would hug him and hold him close and he would smell the fragrance of her night cream. Then he would put his hand in hers and they would both go down to the kitchen, and she would make him pancakes. He would ask for heart-shaped pancakes and insist she make some for herself. He would always put butter and honey on hers before handing her the plate he had made as a present for her.

"Yi Jeong ah," she called and the spell was broken.

"Mother," he greeted her and took her hands in his. He didn't want to hug her but he couldn't help holding tight when she hugged him. Then she let him go.

"Yi Jeong ah, I know you've just gotten back but…"

"I'm not looking for him." The words gushed out before he could stop them. "I won't do it again Mother. I can't, not anymore." He couldn't look at her; he knew he would see those dark brown eyes, a mirror image of his own, filled with the hurt of his betrayal.

"How can you say that? I have no one else. Your brother abandoned me and your father is out there with his…with her!" Her voice was getting higher and higher, her nails digging into his forearms as she shook him.

"Mother, please. He's not worth it." Yi Jeong grasped her arms, trying to calm her down, forcing himself to speak in a controlled tone when he felt like shouting. "Let him go." Already he could feel the cold bite of guilt inside as he watched her lovely face contort in agony. The years had only enhanced her fragile beauty. Any man on earth would be moved to protect her and she was married to the one man who felt nothing for her.

"I can't, I love him. It's my curse but I can't. Just this once, please Yi Jeong. Help me…" Tears stained her cheeks and fell on the sleeves of his jacket.

His eyes burned as he watched her. How far she had fallen, those mornings would never come back again. "I'll always be here for you," he said and flinched as her eyes lit up. "But not like this anymore. It hurts you and it's tearing me apart Mother. I can't go on like this—"

"No! No you have to help me," she interrupted hysterically, clinging to him. "You have to help me…" And then she started wailing.

The sound of the door opening made Yi Jeong look back. The doctor and nurses were hurrying into the room. The former was holding a syringe. They were going to sedate her. She was still weeping when the nurses prised her away from him. He couldn't do anything, he couldn't move, only watched as they restrained her.

"Sir, maybe you should leave." He felt a firm hand on his shoulder and blindly, he let the butler lead him out of the room, the cries of his mother as she called for him ringing in his ears, deafening him. He didn't know his eyes were full of tears until he blinked and felt the warm liquid on his cheeks.

He was right: nothing had changed.

………………………………………

Ga Eul was at home watching television when her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Ga Eul ah, Woo Bin here. I'm outside your house now. Can you come out?"

Not in her pyjamas she could. Woo Bin's voice sounded tense though. Something must have happened. "S-sure, give me five minutes." Running upstairs, she changed into the first blouse and skirt she pulled out of her closet. Yanking on her black tights, she snuck quietly down the stairs and then dashed for the door. Normally she would have informed her parents but she doubted that they would believe she was meeting Jan Di at this late hour.

Woo Bin leaned over and opened the door for her when he saw her coming. "Woo Bin sunbae, is something wrong?" She sounded slightly breathless, her eyes somewhat wide with apprehension.

He hoped she wouldn't take the news too badly. "Ga Eul ah, Yi Jeong is back."

Adrenaline spiked through her and her heart slammed against her ribs as she took in the news. He was back. He had come back. Her letter had worked.

"Ever since Ji Hoo told me what you had done, I've been keeping watch to see if he would return. He came back this evening. My men tell me he was picked up by the family chauffer and he was taken to his home at once." Now came the hard part. "He was seen leaving the house about two hours ago. He went to a club."

"Oh." She felt as though someone had knocked the wind out of her. Before she could stop them, an image of Yi Jeong surrounded by women rose like a spectre in her mind. Had anything really changed?

"He's been there ever since. Ji Hoo and I have tried calling him but he won't pick up the phone. God only knows what happened and we've never been able to help him when he's like this…" Woo Bin felt so frustrated he felt like hitting the steering wheel to vent his feelings but he held himself back. Ga Eul was already so pale and suddenly she looked so small, hunched over with her hands in her lap, looking down.

"Do you know where the club is?" she asked quietly. If she squeezed her hands any tighter she was going to cut off the circulation to her fingers. But she knew what she had to do.

"You don't have to go. I only wanted to tell you personally that he's back. If he doesn't pick up soon, Ji Hoo and I will go get him."

Looking up into Woo Bin's concerned face, Ga Eul managed a small smile. "I know I don't have to. But I want to. Please drive me there Woo Bin sunbae."

As fate would have it, Woo Bin dropped her off at the same club that Yi Jeong had brought her to. Perhaps if he had known what had transpired during that third pretend date, Woo Bin would have refused. Or he would have insisted on waiting outside for her. He would not have given in to her firm persuasion that he leave Yi Jeong to her.

Swallowing hard, Ga Eul stepped into the smoky, semi darkness. Bright lights flashed dizzyingly across the dance floor as bodies gyrated in sync with the pounding beat of the music. She could smell the alcohol that pervaded the air and tried to avoid looking at anyone. Ascending the familiar steps, she walked towards the booth that they had occupied before.

To her relief, he was alone. There was a bottle of opened wine on the table and his glass was half filled. He didn't notice her. She was about to approach him when a pair of women brushed past her and called out to him. To her horror, they slid into the seat, one on each side. It was like a replay of a nightmare and she was helpless to stop it.

………………………….

If he looked at his watch, it would tell him that he had been here for three hours. It felt longer than that though. Old habits die hard and this was the first place he could think of as he had driven away from the house. Something was different though. The music, as always, had numbed his senses; it was too loud to think properly. He had hardly drunk any wine though, the alcohol tasted bitter. And he had not enjoyed the company of any of the women. Some had invited themselves over and initially, he had let them stay. He had even let them pour drinks for him and had made some small talk. But the longer they stayed, the more restless and irritable he felt. Instead of assuaging his emotional wounds, it felt like he was rubbing salt in it. In the end, he had told them to leave.

The sound of their voices announced their presence even before they got to him. Before he could tell them to go away, the women had leeched themselves to him. "Oppa! It's been so long! Don't you remember me…"

He always made it a point to be gentlemanly towards women in terms of his manners, but tonight had been trying, to say the least. Almost roughly, he brushed their hands away. "I don't recall saying you could stay," he said coldly, staring straight ahead without bothering to look at them.

"Oppa, don't be like that. You've been moody the whole night but we know how to cheer you up—"

"Get out."

For a moment, both of them were paralysed by the quiet fury in his voice. And then he glared at them and they scuttled away, shooting him dirty looks while exchanging whispers. Well, since everything else was shot to hell, his reputation as Casanova might as well go down in flames too. A bitter smile twisted his lips as he lifted his wine glass.

Yi Jeong was about to take a sip when he noticed another woman was standing there in the shadows. "If it isn't already clear, I don't want company. So get lost."

"Sunbae."

Yi Jeong froze, the wine glass halfway to his lips. Then slowly, he put it down and stood up. He couldn't breathe. The air seemed electrified. "Ga Eul yang?"

She stepped closer and finally he saw her. She looked so pale, her dark eyes huge with concern for him. Were those tears? How had she known? "Why are you here?" he finally asked, his voice sounding distant to his own ears. He didn't want her to see him like this but he couldn't tear his gaze from hers as he drank in the sight of her.

She didn't say anything at first, only stared at him. And then she lifted her arm and held out her hand to him. "Sunbae, let's go."

He could refuse, could choose to stay here and let himself wallow. Chances were that he would go back to his old ways and Ga Eul yang would leave him forever. Or, he could take the lifeline she was offering him.

………………………….

For the longest moment, he just stood there, his expression unfathomable. The short distance between them seemed like a chasm.

Just as she thought he would reject her offer, Yi Jeong moved towards her and Ga Eul exhaled. She hadn't even known that she had been holding her breath. He never took his eyes from her face, not even when he slipped his hand into hers. She smiled tremulously, she could feel herself trembling with relief.

Her hand was so cold in his. He wanted to hug her, to feel her hold him. Instead, he asked softly, "So now what?"

"My teacher's studio is not that far away by car. We could go there. Is that alright?" She hadn't planned on this but now that he was here with her, she didn't want to leave him. There was an overwhelming urge to keep him safe.

He squeezed her hand gently, and finally returned her smile. "Lead the way."


	12. XI

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XI

(I)

"Turn here," she said softly. "Then go straight and turn to the right."

In a couple of months, it would be two years since he had left for Sweden. After countless words and ink and paper, countless nights and days of longing for him, here he was beside her, so close she would feel his warmth. And of all times, her mouth and heart would choose to clam up. She just didn't know what to say.

From the corner of his eye, he glanced at her and saw that she was looking out the window. She looked worried and that in turn, made him worried. After their letters, he would have expected less of this sudden awkwardness and uncertainty that had suddenly descended on them once they had left the club. But words were one thing and real life was another. Both of them had changed in ways that perhaps had not been fully revealed in their letters. But she was still his brave girl. Yi Jeong could pretty much guess who had been responsible for telling her his whereabouts and he was torn between the urge to either thank or strangle Woo Bin. The former because Ga Eul had helped him to avoid falling back into the trap of his former life, the latter because she had been forced to stand there and relive painful memories that he had given her.

"Are you cold? You forgot your jacket," Yi Jeong commented as he turned down the air-conditioning.

"No, I'm fine," she said, shaking her head gently. "You can stop here."

As Yi Jeong locked up the car, she walked to the door of the studio and fished around in her tiny sling bag for the keys. Her hands were shaking slightly, both from excitement at Yi Jeong's presence and nervousness as well. Behind her, she sensed his approach. Did he have to stand so close? And just where were those darn keys?

"Aish, you forgot to bring them didn't you?" He sighed and grinned down at her.

"No I didn't. If you would just move out of the way since you are blocking the lamplight…" she replied testily. Thankfully, at that moment her fingers closed around a familiar star shaped object and triumphantly, she pulled out the key chain and dangled it in front of him. "See."

"It's about time," he said and Ga Eul stuck out her tongue at him before unlocking the door. The familiar smell of clay greeted him as they stepped into the warm darkness. Ga Eul was groping around for the light switch when Yi Jeong suddenly reached out and stopped her.

"Eh?"

"It's better this way. Besides, excellent night vision is but one of my many attributes."

"Why you ego—"

He stopped her by taking her hand and pulling her along. Why was it that the quips could come fast and furious but his real feelings remained stuck in his throat? Maybe that was why he didn't want the lights; it might be easier to talk that way, the shadows gave the illusion of being hidden.

Her pulse was leaping like a mad thing and Ga Eul prayed that Yi Jeong would not be able to feel it. It was hard to think and therefore easy to just follow him in the dark, the warmth of his large hand engulfing her smaller one.

"Which room do you normally use?"

"Huh?"

"You know, the room where you work."

It was a good thing she hadn't switched on the lights. Her entire face was red, and while she couldn't see him smirking at her, she was pretty sure that he was. "Second room to the right," she muttered.

There was a little more light in this room because of the windows that overlooked the small garden Teacher Jun tended to when he wasn't working on his pottery or teaching. It was small but cosy, with a large worktable and bench plus a display cabinet filled with pottery that his students had given to him over the years. It was her favourite room and had become her unofficial studio here. To Ga Eul's disappointment, Yi Jeong let go of her hand and walked over to the table.

Yi Jeong took a deep breath, tried to calm himself as he surreptitiously wiped his palm against the leg of his pants. It had been another lifetime ago that being alone in a dark room with the opposite sex had given him sweaty palms. But this wasn't just any girl; it was Ga Eul yang. In an attempt to distract himself, he walked over to the work table and picked up a simple butterfly that she had made. It was plain white, unglazed and without any pattern, a tentative first attempt.

Quietly, Ga Eul sat down on the bench, watching him as he stood in the dim light, appraising her work. "I'm working on making some ceramic ornaments. Some of my students will be moving to another class at the end of the year. It would make a nice going away present."

"Yes it would. But… it's not as nice as a letter."

Their eyes met and she wondered if he felt that same wave of emotion that suddenly robbed her of her breath. Gently, he put the butterfly down and sat beside her. "Aren't you going to ask me how things went tonight?" he finally asked.

"You can tell me if you want to. I think I have done enough prying already," she said wryly.

"Well, I must say that taking your advice hurts."

Ga Eul pressed her lips together. 'Talk about twisting the knife in deeper,' she thought, more than a little pained by his words.

"But it's the same advice I gave you, isn't it? Pressed, moulded, carved and cut, and having to endure more than a thousand degrees of heat. That's what gives us a strong heart, that's how we know what truly belongs to us."

"Sunbae, is there something—"

"I'm tired," he interrupted quietly. "Tonight was…" His eyes stung and his throat felt thick. "…terrible." He couldn't have said more if he had wanted to.

If he had been hers, she would have taken him in her arms. She would have pressed her lips to his temple and held him as tightly as she could. But he wasn't. So all she could do was look at him and wish that she could take some of his pain.

"Ga Eul yang, may I?"

She blinked in confusion. "Yi Jeong sunbae, what?" He was looking down at his hands, and she couldn't quite make out the expression on his face.

"May I?"

Slightly perplexed but not willing to quiz him further, given the current mood he was in, Ga Eul nodded. "Mmm, I –I guess so. Yes."

If he thought too much about what he was going to do, he would never work up the nerve to get it done. Before he could stop himself, he shifted a little away from her and then lay down on his side, his head on her lap, his face resting against the soft material of her skirt.

For a moment she remained frozen, nothing less than astounded by his actions. "Sunbae…"

"Only a little while," he whispered. "I just want to rest." He was glad that the lights were off; it lessened the intense vulnerability of his position. His heart was beating so fast he could hear it in his ears. But this was something he had wanted to do ever since he had seen her. Small talk would not do, and things had changed too much for them to go back to the way things were in the past.

Hesitantly, Ga Eul put a hand on his shoulder. When he didn't shrug her off or tell her to stop, she took it as a sign of silent permission. Lightly and slowly, she stroked her thumb over the smooth material of his jacket. She refused to analyse what was happening. If she did, she would lose the moment.

He felt the feather-light weight of her touch and found it comforting. Pressing his face against her lap, he closed his eyes. It felt safe here.

"I was never enough." The words poured from his lips, unbidden, unrestrained. There was no sound in the studio, save for their breathing and the soft voice that he recognised as his. "She loved him more than us, more than me.

The first time it happened, I was six years old. I didn't know why they had taken her, where they had taken her. I had been in school and no one would tell me."

In her mind's eye she could see him, a bewildered little boy asking frantically for his mother. Her heart ached and she couldn't stop the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.

She learnt that the first time his mother had sent him to look for his father, he had only been fourteen. That had also been the first time he had caught his father together with another woman. "It was a night of many firsts for me," he said ironically. "I thought I would get used to it, that's what I would tell myself. But I never did."

"But…but you're not going to do it anymore?"

She felt his warm breath on her knee as he exhaled. "No, I told her that tonight."

"H-how did she take it?"

"They had to sedate her," he replied flatly.

"I'm sorry."

He heard the slight hitch in her voice and turned to look up at her. "Are you crying?" She tried to turn away and wipe the tears but he brushed her hand aside and cupped the side of her face, forcing her to look at him. He ran his thumb over her cheek, felt the softness of her skin, the wetness that stained his skin. Many women had cried when he had left them. None of them had ever cried because he was in pain. None of them had even realised there was more to him than his playboy façade. "You silly country bumpkin…"

His fingers were exerting gentle pressure, and she complied, leaning down as she lowered her face to his. Yi Jeong knew without a doubt that he was going to kiss her. He didn't know if this was love, perhaps wasn't ready to think of it as such. But if tenderness and yearning and needing equated to love, then he was head over heels for this girl.

The soft curtain of her hair fell about them. He could smell the faint peach scent of her shampoo, could feel her quivering against him as he rubbed his nose against hers. The warmth of their breath intermingling in the darkness, her tears on his face, and the sweet, sweet taste of her mouth on his as their lips finally met.


	13. XI Part Two

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XI

(II)

They were snuggled together in the warm dark. Ga Eul nestled her head on his shoulder; it reminded her a little of the cinema, except that this time, it wasn't an act for anyone, and Yi Jeong didn't have to pretend that he was pretending. She still had trouble believing that this was real, that she had just shared her first kiss with him.

Yi Jeong pulled her closer as he brushed his lips against her hair again, marvelling that she was in his arms. She was holding onto his other hand, her fingers gently tracing lines on his palm. It felt wonderful and truth be told, he was a little aroused and in the mood for more. But they had just shared their first kiss, and he didn't want to alarm Ga Eul yang and ruin the moment. There would be a proper time and place for turning fantasy into reality. He could think of a few options but his personal preference ran towards silk sheets in a room with a view that overlooked the vast blue ocean.

"What are you thinking about?"

Her question caught him off guard and for a moment, Yi Jeong wondered if she had read his thoughts. Knowing her, she wouldn't be able to look him in the eye if she knew what he had been thinking about. Deciding that ignorance was bliss for the moment, he chose the other thing that had crossed his mind not too long ago.

"That glass of water."

"Ah?"

He looked down at her and Ga Eul, even though she was wondering what on earth he was talking about, didn't fail to notice how serious he looked. "Do you remember dinner with my father?"

It wasn't a pleasant memory and even though she knew that it had been an act, it had been cruel nonetheless, and she would always remember it. Time would take the sting away but not the memory. "Why are you bringing this up now sunbae?" she asked, unable to conceal the slight undertone of reproach in her voice.

"In one of your last letters, you wondered why I came looking for you even though you'd already told me you had given up."

How could she forget? She had been so surprised that day, when she had turned around to find him still seated, smiling up at her as though it was perfectly normal for him to be there waiting for her.

"It hasn't been easy for us, not at all. Believe it or not, throwing that water was one of the best things you have ever done for me." Lifting her hand to his lips, he kissed it softly. "I'm sorry for putting you through that and I'm glad that you didn't let me get away with it. It helped bring me to my senses. That day at the Clay House, when I'd gone to see you, I…I'd already kind of made up my mind about you…about us."

"Sunbae…"

Yi Jeong gave a rueful smile. "I used to think I was so different from Jun Pyo where matters of the heart were concerned. He fell in love with Geum Jan Di when she kicked him and I think...it took that glass of water to make me realise that maybe, I should give us a chance."

Of course there had been the matter of Eun Jae. But there was no need to bring that up. What was important was that they had made it to the here and now. "In the end, I realised that my feelings hadn't changed, especially after all you had done for me. That was what I wanted to tell you at Namsan."

And she had walked away from him then. She had almost missed him again. Ga Eul laced her fingers with his and she felt his arm around her tighten in a secure embrace. "If I had known that dumping water on your head was that effective, I would have done it a lot sooner," she teased gently. "So sunbae, since we're talking about the past, when did you start to like me?"

Yi Jeong had thought about that many times before but he had never been able to quite put a finger on the exact moment. "I'm not sure. I guess you just grew on me."

Ga Eul wrinkled her nose. "You make me sound like a fungus."

He laughed. "If you want to put it that way. But I do know when I realised you might have gotten under my skin."

"Really? When was that?"

He looked at her, his head slightly tilted to the side. It was a memory that amused him now but back then… "We'd been playing billiards together when Jun Pyo received a call from Jan Di about a double date. I knew you had to be half of the other couple." And for one instant his buoyant mood had taken a nosedive and he had been jealous. He'd covered it well enough from the others but it had made him uncomfortable later to think about it. "The idea of you with another guy wasn't…pleasant."

He'd been jealous. And to think that he'd been the furthest thing from her mind at that time. How could she have known that days later, he would turn her world upside down?

"And since we're also on the subject of the letters, I'll have you know that I don't kiss girls out of gratitude." Sliding his fingers under her chin, he tilted her face up to his. "When I kiss you, it's because I want to," he murmured.

His voice sounded so deliciously husky that Ga Eul shivered. "And do you want to now?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

He hadn't planned on kissing her again but her question was an invitation that he couldn't resist. "Yes I do Ga Eul yang. Very much so." And then his mouth came down on hers, claiming her lips as he wrapped his hand in the silk of her hair.

She wondered if it would always be like this: whether there would always be this heady rush, whether the world would always seem to spin off kilter. Was this what the books meant about being swept off one's feet? Cocooned in the shadows and in his arms, time seemed to stand still.

Yi Jeong slanted his mouth over hers, desperately trying to gentle the kiss. Caught between the desire not to frighten her and his own raging desires, he was trying to remember to control himself when Ga Eul moaned softly against his lips and promptly destroyed that noble intention. "Ga Eul yang," he whispered her name in between kisses, all too keenly aware that her hands had slipped under his jacket and he could feel their warmth through his shirt, the slight edge of her nails as her hands dug into his skin when he brushed his tongue against her parted lips.

She couldn't know what she was doing to him. To be honest, he hadn't anticipated the effect she would have on him either. He had expected to be the one in control but she had completely ruined that, and now they were both slowly burning up with a fervour that he recognised yet found unfamiliar.

And then both their handphones started ringing.

Yi Jeong doubted that he would feel the same combination of gratitude and frustration ever again in his life as Ga Eul pulled away, breaking the kiss. She was panting and his own breathing sounded harsh to his ears. "W-we should see who that is," she muttered and turned away.

She was embarrassed, he realised, and felt more than a bit of smug masculine satisfaction to know that she had been as affected as he had been. Deciding that now was not a good time to tease her, he slipped his phone out of his pocket. It was Woo Bin.

"Yi Jeong ah?"

Yi Jeong grinned as he heard the caution in Woo Bin's voice. "You have the best and worst timing," he said, looking at Ga Eul who had walked over to the window.

"Huh? Oh, I see. Well my bro, I take it that things are going swimmingly well for you. Am I …err, interrupting something?"

Usually Woo Bin was a lot more direct than that but because Ga Eul was involved, he had resorted to euphemisms. "Get your mind out of the gutter," Yi Jeong chuckled, lowering his voice. "It's not what you think."

"Whew, that's a relief. Geum Jan Di won't kill me then. Just called to make sure everything was alright. I'm at Ji Hoo's place now. We'll wait for you here."

"I'll be there. And Woo Bin ah, thanks. For everything."

On the other end, Woo Bin smiled, knowing that Yi Jeong was apologising for flaring up at him the last time they had spoken. "Hey, we're F4. See you later bro."

Yi Jeong had just put his phone away when he realised that Ga Eul wasn't speaking on hers anymore. "That was Woo Bin. Ga Eul yang, who were you talking too?"

"My mother," she said, sounding slightly exasperated. "She got up and realised I had left the television and my room light on. Of course, she couldn't miss the fact that I wasn't in bed as I ought to have been."

She wasn't helping his overactive imagination by mentioning herself and a bed in the same sentence. "Is your mother angry?"

"Yes, but she'll be alright. I told her I had caught a midnight movie with Jan Di and that I was on my way home now. In fact, I told her I was ten minutes away."

Yi Jeong hadn't planned on sending her home that soon. Until Woo Bin's call the idea of saying good night to her hadn't even entered his mind. "I guess we had better get going then," he said reluctantly. He stood up and she came to him. It felt like the most natural thing in the world for them to leave the studio holding hands.

"Will you be alright?" he asked as they pulled up to her house. They had made it there in fifteen minutes, thanks to a couple of red lights.

"I'll be fine," Ga Eul assured him. "My mother's bark is worse than her bite. Good night sunbae." She unbuckled her seatbelt and started to get out, then hesitated. "What are you doing tomorrow?"

Yi Jeong knew what she was really asking. "I've got a couple of things to take care of. But I'll meet you at the shop tomorrow after your shift." Reaching over, he pulled her into a quick hug. "Good night Ga Eul yang." To his surprise, she kissed him quickly on the cheek and without looking back, hopped out of the car and scampered off.

Yi Jeong decided on a slow drive to Ji Hoo's house. Maybe by the time he got there, he would be able to stop smiling to himself each time he recalled her good night kiss. She really was adorable. And best of all, he was pretty sure that she was his.

***

A/N: Many thanks for all the reviews and kind comments. Hope you enjoy this too. ^_^


	14. XII

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XII

It was now close to four in the morning and they were all mellowed with tea, wine, and talk. Most of the conversation had revolved around the past and the present, and he could see the changes in his friends, especially Ji Hoo. While he had always been quiet, now he seemed more at peace, at rest now that his grandfather was here to stay. That was Jan Di's gift to him, perhaps in return for all that Ji Hoo had done for her. Sometimes, Yi Jeong wondered what really went on in Ji Hoo's head, whether he planned on being Geum Jan Di's guardian angel forever, undeniably her soul mate but never her lover. There had been no other girl, perhaps there couldn't be until Jun Pyo married Jan Di.

"So…"

The sound of Woo Bin's voice startled him out of his musings. "So what? And who was that might I ask?"

Yi Jeong had a feeling that his Casanova days were over, especially after what happened that night. But back in his heyday, Woo Bin had been the Don Juan to his Casanova. And if anything, Don Juan did not try to cover up the fact that a girl had called him. "Oh, just someone. We're not here to talk about my—"

"It was Jae Kyung," Ji Hoo announced triumphantly, holding up Woo Bin's handphone that he had quietly fished out from the latter's pocket.

"Hey! Yun Ji Hoo you—" Woo Bin sighed in exasperation as Ji Hoo tossed the phone to Yi Jeong who waved it at him.

"Aish, just someone? Song Woo Bin, you're a terrible liar. A twenty minute conversation on the night of my first arrival in Seoul with Monkey is not noth—" Yi Jeong dodged as Woo Bin threw a cushion at him before wrestling the phone from his grasp.

"You two are incorrigible," he muttered, glaring at Ji Hoo who shrugged unrepentantly and sipped his tea.

"And you might have found someone who could be different?" It was a touchy question to ask, considering that Woo Bin had never mentioned Jae Kyung to them before. But it was a guess worth hazarding. Woo Bin's father, while nowhere as emotionally abusive as his own, enjoyed the occasional affair and Woo Bin's mother had chosen to passively accept it in return for a life of luxury. That was what had turned him cynical about love.

If he asked them to back off, they would. But it had been building up inside him and there had been no one to talk to, partly because he had been afraid that talking about his feelings would be tantamount to admitting them, that somehow giving voice to the issue would make it even more real. "I don't know. We have a lot of fun, just going out. She promised me no karaoke bars and I promised her I would try the chicken feet."

Sounded like love to him. The only way Yi Jeong would have eaten that disgusting thing was if he were starving and Ga Eul yang begged him to.

"She's staying until the end of next month…" He trailed off as the prospect of Jae Kyung leaving loomed in his mind again. When had he started counting down to the day she left? When had he started feeling like he didn't want her to go?

Woo Bin had gone very quiet. Ji Hoo and Yi Jeong's eyes met and they both silently agreed that enough teasing had been done. Yi Jeong especially could empathise with Woo Bin's unease. One minute the world and every girl in it was your oyster, the next, you were falling because someone had breached that protective armour and you hadn't a clue what to do about it, about her and about yourself.

"Well, if you want to go out with her, you should. I won't be able to see you guys until the day after. I'm going to see my lawyer tomorrow; I need my father to sign some papers."

"And then you're going to see Ga Eul." It wasn't a question that Ji Hoo asked, it was a statement.

Yi Jeong nodded. "I want to take her somewhere…" No one had ever been there before and he wanted her to be the first to see it. "Besides, I'll be leaving soon again."

"What? I thought you'd be staying for at least a week or something." Woo Bin stared at Yi Jeong, somewhat confused.

"No, I'm going back the day after tomorrow. It's a morning flight. Originally I intended to just come back and take care of matters here."

"You can still delay your flight or cancel it. That's not an issue." Ji Hoo's tone was light but his eyes were serious and watching Yi Jeong. "Or maybe now the longer you stay…"

The harder it would be to leave her. And knowing Ga Eul yang, she wouldn't be the kind to ask him to stay just for her sake. "The sooner I finish what I started in Sweden, the sooner I can come back."

"Is there going to be a wedding?" Woo Bin quipped.

"What?" To Yi Jeong's chagrin, he felt a flush creep up his neck and make its way to his face. Before he could stop himself, a vision of Ga Eul in cream satin and a white veil appeared in his mind's eye.

"Well, aren't you serious about her?" Ji Hoo added pointedly.

What were they, the matrimonial police? "I am," he said defensively. "I mean, I haven't… thought that far ahead but… if things go well…that is if she'll even say yes…"

"Yi Jeong ah, you know they say the bride is the one that does the blushing, not the groom." By then, Ji Hoo and Woo Bin were laughing so hard that they didn't care about the cushions that hit them.

"Idiots," Yi Jeong muttered but he couldn't help smiling.

……………………………..

Her shift had finished about fifteen minutes ago and Ga Eul sat in the shop, waiting for Yi Jeong. The mere thought of him made her pulse race and she refused to think of the kisses they had shared for fear that she would end up blushing in public. Sometimes it all seemed like a dream, from the moment she had seen him in the club to the minute he had sent her home. Luckily though, her mother hadn't grounded her and even if she had, Ga Eul would have found a way to meet Yi Jeong.

She'd hardly slept at all, the events of the night playing out over and over in her head. There was always that same wave of thankfulness and relief that she had faced her fears and gone to look for him in the club. She couldn't bear to think of what might have been otherwise.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

She jumped slightly and realised that he was there, standing in front of her. "Yi Jeong sunbae!"

"I tried waving my hands in front of your face but it didn't work. So, what were you thinking about?"

"I was...I…" She didn't want to tell him that last night she had been afraid that he would sink back into the sea of debauchery that he had managed to fish himself out. As she scrambled for something to say, she couldn't help notice how handsome he looked and that in turn, caused her eyes to somehow focus in on his mouth. And that surfaced the memories of their kisses last night and the good night kiss she had given him. She blushed.

Yi Jeong smirked slightly as Ga Eul sputtered before promptly turning red. She must have been thinking about last night. Truth be told, he'd hardly slept even when he had dragged himself into bed last night because he had been thinking about them too. "There'll be plenty of time later for that Ga Eul yang."

"What?" Her eyes widened as the implied meaning of his words sunk in.

"Come on, I can't park out there illegally." Reaching out, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the shop. She couldn't quite look him in the eye as she got into the car. "I'm sorry I'm late," he said as he started the engine. "It took a little longer than I had expected."

"It?"

He hesitated for a moment. Ji Hoo had volunteered to drive him to the lawyer's and later to his father's; he had been glad that he had agreed. It had helped just to have an understanding presence around even if he hadn't really told Ji Hoo much. His policy about his parents was to never say much. If he didn't talk about them, no one would know, he would have less to be ashamed of and it wouldn't hurt.

"You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to."

He glanced at her. She meant it, although she looked a little disappointed. "I had my lawyer draw up some documents; that will give me the authority to get psychological treatment for my mother. She'd have to see a psychologist at least once a week. I needed my father's signature and it wasn't enough for him that I fax the documents over. He wanted to meet me."

Ga Eul didn't dare to ask how it went. Instead, she reached over and squeezed his hand, hoping that the gesture would give him the comfort that she didn't know how to give in words.

"It wasn't that bad," he said quietly. But after that encounter, he found that he couldn't wait to see her. She couldn't make his problems go away, but he felt better about them when she was around. "It was something to be done and gotten over with. But at least I managed to get his signature."

"You're a good son Yi Jeong sunbae."

"At least you think so." He'd meant it as a joke but somehow it didn't seem that funny, to either of them. Before the silence got uncomfortable, he changed the subject. "Ga Eul yang, don't you want to know where I'm taking you?

She was pretty sure she knew what he had in mind. "That restaurant with the fancy, overpriced burger." To her surprise, he shook his head and grinned. "No? Oh, let me see." It couldn't be to his house because they were going in the opposite direction and considering that he probably wanted a break from his parents', she would have been surprised if he had taken her there. "The skating rink?" Again, he shook his head. "Okay fine, I give up. Where are you taking me to?"

"I'm taking you to my house."

"But… but your house is in the other direction."

"That's my parents' house. This is the house I bought with my own money and which I intend to move into once I come back from Sweden. I bought it just before I left and gave instructions to an interior design firm to renovate and furnish it. This will be the first time I'm seeing it in its new condition. I thought you might want to come along with me."

He hoped she realised what he was trying to tell her. She was the first person whom he was bringing to see his future home, not the other members of F4 or anyone else, but her.

"Yes, I'd like that," she said softly. Yi Jeong might never be one for direct romantic confessions but she knew what he was trying to tell her, understood the significance of it.

"You might want to call your mother and ask for permission to stay overnight at Jan Di's house though."

"Huh? Why would I do that?"

He looked over and flashed her one of those smiles that always took her breath away. His next words almost caused her heart to stop beating. "Because Ga Eul yang, I'd like to spend the night with you."


	15. XIII

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XIII

"Because I want to spend the night with you Ga Eul yang."

Her mouth dropped open and Ga Eul stared at Yi Jeong. "Wh-what? You want to what?" Before she could stop herself, an image of the both of them in each other's arms sprang to mind and she recalled his heady kisses from the night before. Was that what he had meant in the porridge shop? Had he planned to seduce her? And why wasn't she feeling angry with him but nervous and excited instead?

"I said, I want to spend the night with you. We can spend it watching DVDs, cable, playing video games. I told my staff to stock up on whatever entertainment they could lay their hands on."

If it had been possible, she would have curled up into a ball and hidden herself away somewhere. Her face burned with embarrassment as she looked away and muttered something vague about board games. 'Argh! Chu Ga Eul, how could you even have thought of such a thing!' she scolded herself sternly. 'You better stop all these thoughts at once. Yi Jeong is going to be shocked if he even knew what you were thinking of.'

Ga Eul had become quiet but her face was a rosy shade that made it hard for Yi Jeong to concentrate. 'You'd better stop with the teasing before she realises you are serious,' he warned himself. When he had mentioned spending the night together, the idea of them actually sleeping together had been on his mind. While part of him still shied away from the notion of love, he knew that she was different; she meant so much to him. Women used to throw themselves at him and he would think of it as claiming his due, as passing the time. Sex was an exchange of pleasure, nothing more. Yi Jeong knew that with Ga Eul yang, it would be like nothing he had ever experienced before. He wasn't sure if he could leave her bed in the morning. Leaving the house was entirely out of the question.

"Do you have staff living at the house while you aren't there?" It wasn't the best of conversation starters but anything would do at this point to distract herself. When he didn't say anything, she looked over and realised that although his eyes were fixed on the road, they had a faraway, thoughtful look. "Sunbae?"

"Hm, yes?"

She wondered what he had been thinking about but decided against asking. "I asked about why you maintain staff at your new house although you don't live there yet."

"They don't live there but they look after the place daily. It's the same arrangement that Ji Hoo has at his home and in some ways, it allows for more privacy. Although it's a chore when you have to get things done yourself."

She made a face at him and he laughed. "You are such a spoilt chaebol."

"Or I could say you are such a country bumpkin," he replied.

Ordinarily she would have been offended but she knew from last night's experience that he meant it as a term of endearment. There was a special intimacy attached to it; it was his nickname for her. "Since when did you start referring to me as that?"

"Right after you called me and my friends rich chaebols. Rich being an euphemism for spoilt."

"And bratty," she added, grinning.

"You're going to pay for that later Ga Eul yang."

"Let's settle it over Monopoly shall we?"

………………...

"You were saying it's not such a big house?" Ga Eul repeated, staring at the house in disbelief as the gates parted and they pulled into the driveway.

"It isn't as big as my parents' house, that's for sure. And it's smaller than what I am accustomed to," Yi Jeong replied and Ga Eul realised that he wasn't being flippant. He was serious. Usually with Yi Jeong, she felt at ease in spite of the fact that they came from two different worlds but at that moment, she was never more aware of the financial chasm that separated them, along with all the experiences their different upbringing entailed.

"It's bigger than most houses I've seen on the market," she murmured, getting out of the car. "Double storey?"

"Yes. But it came with a rather large basement which I've converted into an entertainment den."

It might as well be a triple storey house then. 'Small house my foot,' she thought as he opened the door for her. From now on, she was going to take his descriptions of what constituted as humble living with more than a pinch of salt. Her eyes widened as she took in the hall and the extended dining area. Then again, it really was a pretty house. Very pretty.

Usually the last thing he felt when he brought a woman—or depending on his mood, women—home was nervousness. Yi Jeong tried to ignore the fact that he could feel his heart pounding as he watched her explore his home with tentative steps. On some levels, he was amused that he was giving more attention to her response to his home than he was actually giving his own home. On the other hand, it felt extremely important that she like the place. Again, a vision of Ga Eul dressed in white with a veil flashed across his mind and he shook his head slightly. 'One step at a time,' he warned himself. For once he didn't want to screw up a relationship. Hell, this was his first relationship, to be honest.

"Sunbae, you don't like your new home?" Ga Eul had turned around to see Yi Jeong pinch the bridge of his nose and shake his head. "It's really beautiful actually. Don't you think so?"

His face brightened and a warm glow spread through her. Was her opinion that important to him? "Come on, let's have a look at it. There are still two levels to explore." She beckoned to him and turned around, heading off down a corridor. She had expected him to follow her; what she didn't expect was for him to take her hand and twine his fingers with hers. "Sunbae…"

"Let's start from the top, shall we?" He tugged on her hand and pulled her towards the staircase as she followed him unresistingly. It felt almost too surreal, as though they were exploring their new home together. 'Don't think about that, stop it,' she told herself firmly. And then her eyes turned round as they stopped at the entrance of the bedroom that was furthest from the stairs. "Is this your bedroom?" It was bigger than the house Jan Di's parents had stayed in when they'd still had their laundry business.

"I told the designers to knock down a wall and put two rooms together," Yi Jeong managed to reply, hoping that Ga Eul wouldn't notice the way his hand had tightened over hers.

It was an impressive room for sure. Lush carpeting covered the floor and intricate wallpaper in deep dark gold gave it a warm yet sophisticated look. Semi-parted floor to ceiling curtains added to the luxurious feel of the place. And at the far end, was a huge ornate bed frame with a high mattress. Even from where they stood, Yi Jeong noted the soft gleam of the dark sapphire sheets, a gleam that only pure silk gave off. But what startled him was how much it looked like the bedroom in his fantasies, where he and Ga Eul yang did all sorts of things that, in reality, would mortify her and cause her to never be able to look him in the eye again if she found out. He must have had more on his mind than he had known when he had relayed the instructions for the décor of this room.

"Would you like to go in and have a closer look?" she asked and he inhaled sharply. Of course he knew that she didn't mean it like that, it was a perfectly innocent question. Unfortunately, his thoughts were anything but. It was rather trying not to entertain fantasies about her when she was standing there in that bedroom with him.

"No, that can wait. Let's go look at the rest of the rooms," Yi Jeong replied. "If I'm not mistaken, I've got three other rooms on this floor."

"Three rooms!" she exclaimed. "Why do you need that many?"

'So that we'll have variety while we're getting lots and lots of practice,' he thought wistfully as he looked at her. Not that that was going to happen anytime soon. "I might need the space for guests. Besides, I'm used to having a lot of space."

"It figures," Ga Eul muttered. But in spite of her unease with the extravagance of the place, she soon warmed to it. Decorated in mostly warm muted shades, it had occasional splashes of vibrant colour. A huge feature wall dominated a large part of the hall but the display shelves were empty. "Where are the ceramics?"

She had let go of his hand to explore the place and he let her, watching as she looked out of the windows, as she touched the heavy fabric of the curtains and ran her hand over the smooth, cool leather of the sofa. "I don't live here yet Ga Eul yang. The staff here don't stay overnight either. There's no point in tempting thieves and robbers by leaving ceramics here."

"Hm, I hadn't thought of that," she said, plumping the cushions before she sank down into the immense sofa. It felt heavenly. "So sunbae, do you like your new home?"

She was scrutinising at the small but intricate chandelier that hung from the ceiling and thus missed the warm look in his eye as he watched her. "I think it's perfect," Yi Jeong replied quietly. 'Mostly because you are here.' But the latter part choked in his throat and he couldn't bring himself to say that. One day he would be able to put down the emotional barriers he carried for so long but it was too soon. "There's a studio at the back of the house too."

"Why didn't you say so?" Ga Eul got to her feet.

"Well, it's late and I'm hungry…"

Men, regardless of economic status, could be such babies at times. "Didn't you ask a cook to prepare anything?" He shook his head and she tried not to roll her eyes. "We could always get delivery."

"Delivery?"

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"I had something else in mind actually…"

Uh oh, that didn't sound good. She had a sneaking suspicion where this was headed.

"Why don't you cook for me? In fact, since I can't cook, you'll have to."

Ga Eul watched in disbelief as Yi Jeong started sauntering off after making that announcement. "I can't…Sunbae, I can only cook porridge!"

"Then I'll have to make do with that then." He chuckled, knowing that Ga Eul was probably giving him the most evil glare she could muster.

"You'll make do…You spoilt chaebol. Yah! If I have to be the chef, then you'll have to be my assistant. I'm not slaving over a hot stove just for you."

"Whatever the lady commands." He turned around and grinned before winking at her.

Damn the man, he could get away with murder with that smile. And it was wrong for anyone to look that good in pants. Ga Eul tried not to sigh with admiration as she watched him from behind. She wasn't given to gushing at all but anyone who wasn't blind would have to agree that Yi Jeong had a perfect b—

"Ga Eul yang, are you checking me out?"

"You wish!"


	16. XIV

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XIV

Yi Jeong stood patiently next to Ga Eul as she stood in front of the enormous opened refrigerator. They were currently in the kitchen and Ga Eul was doing a rather impressive job of ransacking the place. As the chef, she got to pick out the ingredients. As the assistant, he had to do the manual labour.

"Spinach," she said, handing the vegetables to him without even looking up.

Obediently, Yi Jeong took them. They had been wrapped in clear plastic, which was the only reason why he was willing to touch them. He had held the carrots by the narrow ends using his thumbs and forefingers, which had prompted Ga Eul to roll her eyes at him and call him a spoiled chaebol. "Sticks and stones, Ga Eul yang," he had replied, making three trips back to the huge island counter in the centre of the kitchen before he had finally moved all the carrots. When he finally returned to her side to find her holding out garlic and ginger to him, he had made her put them into a bowl which he then used. That caused more eye rolling and a muttered comment that he didn't quite catch but apart from that, she didn't make any more comments. Hence, he was contented to continue helping out. Besides, occasionally when she leaned down to get something from the lower compartments of the fridge, he got to admire her behind, which was exceedingly easy on the eyes, especially in those shorts.

"Fish."

"I'm not touching that."

Ga Eul pursed her lips in exasperation as she wagged the packet of frozen fillets at him. "You can carry it to the counter using the bowl."

"The bowl is not big enough for that."

"Get another bowl!"

He smiled at her and remained where he was. "You should be made to go without dinner," she muttered as she grabbed a packet of prawns with her other hand, nudged the fridge door shut and brushed past him.

Yi Jeong admired the sway of her hips as he trailed after her. For someone who had limited culinary skills, she sure was proficient. Maybe it came with working in that porridge shop. He poured himself a glass of wine and her glass of orange juice, sat down on one of the counter chairs and watched her as she worked.

She felt more than a little self-conscious with Yi Jeong watching her without saying a word. Yet, Ga Eul thought it was something that she could get used to. It felt nice to have him around, even if he was just sitting there and looking pretty. "I don't suppose you can wash the rice?"

He glanced over at the large bowl of rice that she had set next to the sink. "With what? Soap?"

Her mouth fell open and she stopped in the midst of chopping the carrots. "Sunbae!" She knew that he probably had never washed rice in his life but that didn't automatically mean he had no common sense or general knowledge. Right?

He laughed, shrugging off his jacket and quickly rolled up his sleeves. "I'm joking Ga Eul yang," he said and neatly dodged the piece of carrot that she threw at him. "Yes, I can wash the rice. I also know how to boil it but you have to tell me how much water to put in."

The next hour was spent in mostly silence. In between instructing Yi Jeong on how much water to put into the pot and how low the fire ought to be, Ga Eul sliced the ginger, crushed the garlic and forced him to cut up the spinach as she handled the prawns and fish. "It's either the vegetables or this," she said, holding up a freshly deveined prawn together with the blackish green vein she had just pulled out of it. With amusement, she noticed that he looked slightly nauseated at the sight. That had been the main reason why he had cooperated with her.

When Ga Eul was satisfied that the rest of the ingredients were cooked, she put in the prawns and fish, stirring the porridge as she adjusted the fire. "You need to put these in last of all. If not they'll be overcooked and that will make the meat dry," she said knowledgeably.

"Mm."

"You're not listening to me, are you?"

"No, not really." Yi Jeong chuckled as she scowled at him and went back to tending to the food. Apart from the fact that he was never going to need to cook for himself, it was a lot more fun just watching her as she moved around his kitchen. There was also the matter of letting her know that he had to leave tomorrow morning. He'd planned to tell her in the car but somehow it hadn't happened. She would be sad and he hated ruining the evening, or part of the evening, for her.

He was still wondering when to break the news to her when she happily announced that the food was ready. "Sunbae, I'll get the bowls and spoons. You carry this out to the coffee table in the hall."

"What?"

…………………

The porridge turned out to be as tasty as any that he had eaten in the shop and Ga Eul had commented that it might have to do with the freshness of the ingredients. "Usually I can't cook like this. My porridge is acceptable at best," she said with a small sigh.

"If you cook it, I'll eat it."

She turned to look at him, surprised, but Yi Jeong apparently found the sight of the Autobots and Decepticons suddenly riveting because he wouldn't look at her. Smiling to herself, Ga Eul spooned up the last of her porridge. Yi Jeong sunbae was so transparent at times. But so sweet too.

"However if anything happens to me, you're paying for the doctor's bill."

Then again, scratch that last thought. Ga Eul reached behind and grabbing a cushion, tossed it at him. Because he was holding his bowl in one hand and his spoon with the other, he was defenceless and she got him square on the side.

Ga Eul was grinning as she reached for another cushion, probably because she expected him to retaliate. He was going to miss this, Yi Jeong thought wistfully. Even though he enjoyed his time in Sweden for different reasons, there would always be one reason why he wanted to come back to Korea, and she was sitting in front of him on the floor. Setting his bowl aside, he picked up the cushion, staring unseeingly at the intricate pattern that adorned the cover.

"I'm leaving tomorrow morning."

She ought to have known that that was coming; she had been meaning to ask him that for some time now. But it still felt as though someone or something had sucked the breath out of her lungs. She felt so hollow inside. "What time?"

"The plane leaves at nine in the morning. I have to check in at least an hour and a half before."

A quick glance at her watch showed that it was now a quarter to seven. In twelve hours, this would all be a memory. After letting the news settle in for a few minutes, Ga Eul spoke. "Then I guess we should… we should make the most of the time left, shouldn't we?"

The tentative smile and the meaningful gleam in her eye almost brought all of Yi Jeong's brain activity to a grinding halt. Could she possibly mean…did she want to...?

_Because Ga Eul yang, I'd like to spend the night with you._ His own teasing remark came back to haunt him. Yi Jeong's eyes widened as Ga Eul turned around and edged up onto the sofa, those luminous dark orbs fastened on his in an unbreakable gaze as she moved in closer. He had to remind himself to keep breathing.

"It'll give you something to remember when you go back to Sweden." She continued to speak in that soft sweet honeyed tone that was threatening to turn him soft and hard in all the right places. Something to remember would be an understatement. He would probably spend his nights and waking moments fantasising about it until he could see her again.

"What do you say sunbae? Would you like to?" Her eyes were wide and earnest, and she was so close that all he had to do was lean down to kiss her, something that he wanted to do very badly indeed.

"Anything you say Ga Eul yang," he murmured. There were actually plenty of things to consider but Yi Jeong didn't want to think about those at the moment. It could wait until tomorrow morning. Right now, the only decision he was mulling over was whether he ought to use the bed upstairs or the sofa they were sitting on.

"Thank you sunbae," she whispered.

He was already lowering his face to hers, his lips less than mere inches away when she grinned. "So sunbae, would you prefer Monopoly or Risk?"

In those few moments he spent trying to process what on earth she was talking about, Ga Eul slipped away from him and walked over to the pile of board games that they had left on the huge carpet that covered the hall. "I've been told I'm quite good at both. So perhaps you might like a memory of me beating you silly at either."

His sweet, gentle and wise beyond her years Ga Eul yang was quite a little minx after all. She was paying him back for teasing her in the car, and doing so in his own coin. "Touché, Ga Eul yang," he muttered. However, he couldn't let her get away with this. He wasn't Casanova anymore, but he still had his pride to maintain.

Ga Eul's smile wavered as she noticed Yi Jeong's gaze darken. He wasn't smiling either. Maybe she had gone too far with the joke. "Sunbae?" With some alarm, she watched him rise to his feet, his smoky gaze fixed on hers. In spite of herself, Ga Eul took a step back as he started walking towards her. 'Don't be silly,' she told herself. It was Yi Jeong, he would never hurt her.

"Ga Eul yang," he drawled in a tone that could only be described as downright seductive. "If you play with fire…"

She was contemplating if she should make a run for it when he closed in on her. Ga Eul found herself hauled up against Yi Jeong. Before she could protest, he cupped her face, forcing her to look up at him. Then his mouth came down on hers, hard and demanding. Her lips parted and as their tongues touched, she wondered if that moan came from her, or him or both of them. If Yi Jeong hadn't been holding her up, she might have collapsed on the floor.

When he finally broke the kiss, she was practically clinging to him for support. "Sunbae…"

"But since you asked to play other games though, I'll settle for Monopoly. I get the car," he said, giving her a quick peck on the lips before letting her go.

Ga Eul stared at him, open mouthed even as she tried to catch her breath. "What?"

"You set out the board game. I'll be back with dessert." With that, he disappeared round the corner.

"You…" With a sigh of exasperation, she opened the box and spread out the board. She ought to have known that he would never let her get away with teasing him like that. Her face was still warm from the after-effects of his kiss. At least she would have a memory of this when he left for Sweden. Shaking her head, Ga Eul pushed away the sadness that threatened to surface. There would be time to cry tomorrow. Tonight though, would be for them.

…………….

"Don't you think we should at least clear up?" Ga Eul murmured. In spite of her words, she snuggled closer to Yi Jeong, her head tucked comfortably in the crook between his neck and shoulder. After three rounds of Monopoly, two out of which she had trounced him, and an exquisitely delicious chocolate cake, they were now curled up together on the sofa. There had been a movie playing but Yi Jeong had switched it off once it had become clear that neither of them was really watching it. She had no idea what the time was but the last she had checked, it had been past two in the morning.

"My staff can get it when they arrive tomorrow afternoon." He continued stroking her hair; it was thick and fascinatingly silky. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Yi Jeong knew he had to have it bad to be waxing lyrical about Chu Ga Eul's hair but that was something to contemplate another day. "Ga Eul yang?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you going to switch courses at university?"

She sighed softly. "Probably not, especially since I'm going to get my degree by the end of next year. I think I'll be happy as long as I can keep learning about and teaching pottery. I'll start looking at a degree in Fine Arts or maybe a teaching degree in Arts after that."

She sensed his approval even though he said nothing. "How about you sunbae? What are you going to do when you get back?"

"Finish the vase for my assignment. Catch up on whatever I've missed out in class. I'm planning to produce a collection for an exhibition early next year so I need to get working on that soon."

It was going to be another busy period for him. Silence settled between them again and oddly enough, she felt it was alright. Reaching for his hand, she pressed it against her cheek and closed her eyes.

As much as he wanted to stretch out the moment forever, Yi Jeong could feel sleep tugging at him, tempting him into closing his eyes. Ga Eul yang had probably fallen asleep earlier, judging from her slow and even breathing. Very gently, he kissed her forehead.

"I'm going to miss you so much," he whispered.

And then to his surprise, he felt her squeeze his hand. "I'm going to miss you too."

He hadn't meant for her to hear that. For a moment he felt vulnerable again but Yi Jeong brushed it aside. He would have to get used to trusting her, to learn to be comfortable with that.

"Good night Ga Eul yang."

"Good night Yi Jeong sunbae."


	17. XV

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XV

_Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,_

_And eternity in an hour._

_--W. Blake_

Watching Ga Eul yang sleep could be a hobby in itself. Occasionally she sighed; sometimes she mumbled something too soft and quick for him to catch. And she liked to toss and turn. A lot. And this was the reason why he was awake at six in the morning in spite of the fact that he had slept barely three hours ago. At least he would be occupied on the flight back. Yi Jeong had already decided that he was going to press the 'Do Not Disturb' sign, pull the sleeping mask over his tired eyes and spend the rest of the flight oblivious to the rest of the world. At least it would help the dull the ache in his heart once he left her.

She stirred once again and gently, he tightened his arms around her to hold her still. He loved holding her like this; it was hard to imagine that in a few hours, all this would be a memory. 'Just two more years,' he told himself. It was something that he needed to do, something he wanted to do. She would not ask him to put aside his plans for them and he could no more ask her to leave everything behind and follow him to Sweden. At least this time he knew for sure that she would wait for him, that even if she met someone better—although there was more chance of her finding a needle at the bottom of the Atlantic ocean, he reassured himself—she wouldn't let herself be won over.

A quick look at his watch informed him that ten minutes had slipped past him. It was now six, time for them to wake up. If only time were really grains of sand. He'd catch them all and never let go, just to live in the here and now always.

"Ga Eul yang," he murmured, brushing his hand through her hair, before running his thumb over her smooth cheek. "Wake up sweetheart." It a few more minutes of coaxing and calling before she finally responded.

"Mmph. Five more minutes," she whispered, burying her face against his chest.

"You'll fall back to sleep. Come on Ga Eul yang." He felt tempted to let her have her way and Yi Jeong could feel some of his resolve weakening. "There's breakfast on the way."

"Really?"

"Not unless you let me get up and make that call."

"That's a lowdown trick," she muttered before lifting her head up and looking sleepily at him. And then she smiled shyly at him. "Good morning sunbae."

He kissed her, a soft, lingering kiss full of yearning. "Good morning Ga Eul yang."

It was their first morning together. She wondered if the same thought had occurred to him. A part of her wanted to bring it up but she was a little afraid of sounding overly sentimental. "I guess we should wash up now," she said, reluctantly extricating herself from his arms as she got up. Stretching languorously, she stifled a yawn, only to realise that he was still lying on the sofa, looking up at her. "Sunbae?"

"I have to call my staff first, you go ahead. But don't worry, I'll join you in a minute or so."

It took her a few seconds before she realised what he was implying. Snatching up a cushion, she hit him over the head with it, giving him an extra whack when he would not stop laughing. "You shameless man," she muttered as she left the hall.

Yi Jeong grinned. "That didn't sound like a 'no' to me," he called out as she went up the stairs. Her only response was to slam the door so loudly that he could hear it clearly from below. One day, Yi Jeong told himself. The bathroom was another place which featured prominently in his fantasies and he was pretty sure that reality would be even better. It was a good thing there were three bathrooms in his house, four if he counted the common bathroom. Variety, after all, was the spice of life.

………….

Ga Eul tugged at her blouse one more time before giving up. No amount of pulling was going to make the creases come out and she would only ruin it. Pushing her damp hair back, she was about to go to the hall when the smell of food hit her and her stomach growled. Unless her nose deceived her, she smelled…

"Scrambled eggs?"

When it came to food she had a nose like a bloodhound. But since he doubted Ga Eul would feel flattered by that, he kept the statement to himself and instead, ushered her to the seat next to his. "Omelettes, with mushrooms, cheese and herbs. There's also croissants and strawberry jam, in case you want something sweet. If you don't want a western breakfast, we have tofu, radish kimchi, rice, porridge…"

As she watched him remove each cover from the dishes that were laid out on the long table, Ga Eul stopped listening. He'd done this all for her. "We can't possibly finish all this," she said weakly. There was enough food here to feed a small army. Or the children whom she taught. All twenty of them.

"Well, I didn't know what you liked…"

Impulsively, she grabbed his hand and tugging him down to her level, brushed her lips against his cheek. "Thank you Yi Jeong sunbae."

He gave her a boyish grin. "If getting breakfast for you makes you this grateful, I'd gladly do it every day." There was a sudden awkward pause and Yi Jeong wanted to kick himself. His departure was less than three hours away and here he was making promises about being with her every morning when he very well couldn't do that. Talk about rubbing salt into their wounds.

"I'll remember that when you come home." There was too little time left to waste for them to brood. "So sunbae," she said, giving him a bright smile as she took his plate, "what would you like to eat?"

Breakfast was eaten in short but sweet silence. Yi Jeong learnt that Ga Eul would not eat ketchup no matter what and that she liked her croissants with loads of butter. Ga Eul realised that Yi Jeong preferred his coffee black with sugar only, and that for a guy, he ate very little for breakfast.

The sky was a watery mix of deep and pale blue when they finally emerged from the house. As he walked her to the car and opened the door for her, he couldn't help but turn back and look at the house. In some ways, it already felt like home and he couldn't wait to come back to it.

"Sunbae."

He looked down at her but she was staring straight ahead, her eyes fixed on the house too. "Yes, Ga Eul yang?"

"Let's do this again when you come back. I'll cook dinner and you can pretend to help me in the kitchen."

She could turn his heart over with only a few words. One day he would be able to admit to himself that he was in love with her and would love her more in time to come. "Only if you let me beat you at Monopoly."

"Hmm, I'll think about that."

"It's a date then."

……………………..

She had felt a little strange walking into the airport with him, knowing that the other two F4 members would be there, along with Jan DI. "And Jae Kyung." Ga Eul's eyes widened at the sight of the beautiful heiress with her arm casually hooked around Woo Bin's. Was there something that Jae Kyung had forgotten to mention in all the time they'd spend shopping together?

Jan Di was standing next to Ji Hoo. She looked pleased to see him, but a little suspicious when she looked over at Ga Eul, especially the slight creases on her clothes. Behind her, Woo Bin had waggled his eyebrows and winked but a glare from Yi Jeong had stopped that. It was a little too late though. A quick glance at Ga Eul confirmed that she was turning red. And then Jae Kyung elbowed Woo Bin hard in the side, to Yi Jeong's satisfaction.

"Ga Eul ssi, let's go get some coffee yah? We'll let the boys do some catching up. See you later Yi Jeong!"

Before he could say anything, Jae Kyung had swept Ga Eul and Jan Di away. He'd forgotten what a force of nature that girl could be. It was probably for the best. Knowing Jan Di and Jae Kyung, they probably had questions of their own for Ga Eul.

"Yo Yi Jeong, did you do what I think you did?" Woo Bin looked thoughtfully in the direction of the girls. The creases in Ga Eul's clothes pretty much confirmed his suspicion that she had spent the night at Yi Jeong's place.

"Are you as whipped as I think you are?" Yi Jeong replied smoothly, enjoying the small scowl that appeared on Woo Bin's face. "We all know who wears the pants now. Prince Song, tamed by Monkey."

"You're no better than me, you retired Casanova."

Ji Hoo simply smiled and sighed as he watched the two of them bickering. Even without Jun Pyo there, somehow things had managed to regress back to their kindergarten days. It made him a little nostalgic; after all, they had met Woo Bin because he had gone after the same girl as Yi Jeong. "Fighting because of girls again I see."

The two of them broke off and looked at him, slightly confused. "Remember, So Eun? Long hair, huge eyes, red ribbon in her hair. She wore pink all the time. We were five years old."

"Oh yah. Well, this isn't the same thing you know," Woo Bin sagely pointed out.

"Yup. Besides, that's all in the past. I doubt Woo Bin is still sore because she liked me better."

"She did not!"

"Did too!"

……………………

They were in line queuing for their coffee when Jae Kyung suddenly blurted out the question that had been on her lips ever since she had spotted Ga Eul with Yi Jeong. Unfortunately, Jan Di had also chosen that moment to spring her question as well.

"So, did something happen—"

"Uh, I'm sure nothing happened—"

Ga Eul looked at the ground and wished briefly that it would open up and swallow her. How could they think of asking such questions! Surely the notion of privacy existed, even amongst best friends. "No, nothing happened. Nothing that would alarm you," she said, sounding mildly reproving. At least Jan Di had the good grace to look slightly embarrassed. Jae Kyung on the other hand, looked fascinated and intrigued.

"Really? Hmm…I was right and now that pabo owes me."

"What? You made a bet?" Ga Eul was aghast.

"Aren't you glad I betted that you would do the right thing?" Jae Kyung flashed her megawatt smile and then placed the order for their coffee.

"That's hardly the point," Jan Di muttered. "Anyway, I'm glad that you are alright. I was so worried when Ji Hoo told me what happened. That you had to go to a club and get him out of there…" She placed an arm around Ga Eul's shoulders. "I take it that things worked out well though?"

She couldn't help but smile. "I think so."

"Well, that's good to hear. Here, help me hold these."

Apparently, Jae Kyung could rattle off orders for six cups of coffee, bagels and specify how much whipped cream and cinnamon sprinkles each cup would get, and still manage to eavesdrop without missing a beat. Time to change the subject, Ga Eul thought. "So, Jae Kyung unnie, what's going on with you and Woo Bin sunbae?"

A hint of uncertainty darkened her sunny smile for a moment before it vanished. "We're just hanging out. I'm leaving in a couple of weeks. And then I'm going to get serious about learning how to run my father's company. You could say this is my swansong or last holiday in a long, long time to come."

"Erm, I see." Geez, she really had put her foot into her mouth. Obviously Jae Kyung wanted more but either Woo Bin wasn't willing to go further or they simply were to afraid of discussing the possibility of a relationship with each other.

"Don't look so sad Ga Eul. If it's meant to be, it'll happen. After all, look at you and So Yi Jeong. So I have hope."

Jan Di, who had been looking rather thoughtful, opened her mouth to make a comment but the sight of the boys caused her to fall silent. It was just as well, she told herself. Ji Hoo had mentioned a few things to her in strictest confidence and perhaps she ought to do a little bit more thinking before she broached the topic of Woo Bin with Jae Kyung. As fearless as the latter was, she had been burnt before, no thanks to that unfortunate love triangle that was now thankfully behind them all.

"Eh, why are they coming over?" Jae Kyung's comment brought Jan Di back to earth and she realised that Woo Bin and Ji Hoo were coming over.

"Come on Monkey, it's time to go." Smoothly, Woo Bi took the coffee and bag of bagels from her with one hand and encircled her waist with his other arm, trying not to recall Yi Jeong's advice about seriously thinking things through before Jae Kyung went back to America. Casanova giving romantic advice to Don Juan. Who would've thought? "Wave good bye to Yi Jeong."

"Yah! Give the food back to me. And why are we leaving like this?"

"So the lovebirds can have more time together."

"Oh. That's the first sensible thing you've said this morning Prince Song. Bye Yi Jeong! Take care!"

Great, now half the people here knew his name. Yi Jeong winced and managed a weak nod as Woo Bin dragged Jae Kyung away.

Ga Eul was still standing there, looking uncertain when Jan Di, who had been waving at Yi Jeong, turned to her and gave her a quick hug. "Ga Eul ah, Ji Hoo will give you a lift back. We'll be waiting around. Give me a call when you are ready."

"But—but…" Ga Eul was still trying to form a sentence when Jan Di left with Ji Hoo. Although she was slightly embarrassed by Woo Bin's reference to her and Yi Jeong as lovebirds, she deeply appreciated their gesture. She would have to send Ji Hoo and Woo Bin a message to thank them for their consideration.

"I guess it's just you and me now."

The sound of his voice so close behind her sent a thrill up her spine. And then he turned her around and took the coffee from her, and slipped his hand into hers. "Come on Ga Eul yang, let's go for a walk."

……………………

She ended up buying him a book to read on the flight back. In turn, he bought her a handphone accessory from Swarovski. He'd practically had to drag her into the shop and when she refused to pick out something for herself, he chose a blue and pink bee for her.

"It's pretty." She finished looping it through the small catch in her handphone and held it up. "I kind of liked the flower though."

"I'll buy you flowers next time," he said casually, and then promptly started flipping through the book. Set against the Napoleonic wars but only with dragons, it was a strange mix of history and fantasy. Too bad here were no scenes he could picture Ga Eul in though.

They were in a chocolate shop deciding between the raisins covered in chocolate and the strawberries with chocolate centres when Yi Jeong caught sight of the time. It was time for him to go in.

"Ga Eul yang…"

"I know. Let's go then."

Hand in hand, they walked to the Departure Hall in silence. Ga Eul wondered whether Yi Jeong was aware that he was squeezing her hand so tightly that it bordered on uncomfortable. She hoped that she wouldn't cry; she was determined to put on a brave face.

Finally, she could go no further. Ignoring the people who streamed past them in groups and pairs through the entrance, Yi Jeong stopped. "You know I could…" The words trailed off as he hesitated. As he hoped, she understood what he meant. If she wanted him to, he would come back again just to see her.

"You don't have to do that. You should focus on what you want to accomplish in Sweden. Just remember your promise." Too shy to kiss him in public, she did the next best thing she could; standing on tiptoe, she slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a close hug. Her throat tightened and she could feel the sting of tears behind her eyelids. "I'll wait for you to come back."

Yi Jeong held her as tightly as he could; it was hard to believe that in a few minutes, she would no longer be in his arms.

They stood there, clinging to each other and what time they had left. "I should go," he said reluctantly as he released her. And then he took out a blue envelope and pressed it into her hands. "Here's an incentive for you to keep writing to me."

"Sunbae…"

"Well, since I can't see you I should at least know what's happening. What kind of soulmate doesn't know what his other half is doing?" There, he had said it. What he really wanted to say were three very special words but that would have to wait for another time. This was as much as he could manage. Her mouth dropped open, to his amusement, and her already huge eyes grew even wider. "See you in two years, Ga Eul yang." With that, he grabbed his hand luggage and made a beeline for the gate.

"Yi Jeong sunbae!" Ga Eul sputtered as soon as she regained the ability to speak. He'd just made what amounted to a confession of sorts and now he was running away! But it didn't take away any of the sweetness of his words. Ga Eul watched him as he checked himself in. Before he disappeared from sight, he turned to catch a final glimpse of her. "See you in two years Yi Jeong ah," she said softly, waving to him. He gave her one of those lopsided smiles that she loved so much, lifted his hand to wave at her, and then he was gone.

Folding the envelope carefully, she slipped it into the little sling bag she carried and then took out her phone. Composing herself, she took a deep breath before dialling her best friend's number. "Jan Di ah, where are you? I'm ready to go home now."

"We're on the same level as you are. Do you know where Starbucks is?"

"Yes, I'm making my way there now."

"Ga Eul ah, are... are you alright?"

Was she alright? Eventually she was probably going to have a good cry over his absence. But he had promised to come back to her, as her soulmate. And that made everything worth it. "Yes, I'm fine."


	18. XVI

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XVI

It had been slightly over a month since Yi Jeong had left for Sweden and two weeks since she had read his letter. Contrary to her expectations, she hadn't sobbed her heart out while reading it although Ga Eul suspected that her yearning for him was manifesting itself in the form of compulsively reading his letter at least once every two or three days before she slept at night. She had practically memorised it by heart. "If only I could say the same for this," Ga Eul groaned as she flipped another page in a seemingly endless stream of pages. She had an important test coming up and the end of the year assessments were drawing near as well. Yi Jeong was probably grappling with assignments and exam preparations too.

Ga Eul sighed dreamily, wondering what he was wearing, whether he was drinking copious amounts of black coffee with sugar, whether he was wearing the arm warmers that she had given him. She was imagining the highlights in his hair under the soft glow of the study lamp when she heard something that shattered her daydreams about Yi Jeong.

"Ga Eul, come down! Your grandmother is here." Even from behind the closed door, she could hear the bewilderment in her mother's voice.

"Halmoni?" It was both a question as well as an exclamation. A very alarmed exclamation. She had narrowly avoided the clutches of her grandmother during the New Year, along with a whole slew of questions about boyfriends, followed by why she had no boyfriend, followed by why wasn't she planning on marrying soon and many others that usually revolved around her ticking biological clock. Looks like she wasn't going to be so lucky this time around. Ga Eul gulped, straightened her spine and resolutely opened the door. She could not hide in her room forever.

"Ga Eul! Where's that granddaughter of mine? Does she have a boyfriend yet?"

Hmm, maybe she should test out that last thought of hers. "No, no, you can't leave Omma to the mercy of Halmoni," she sternly told herself. Although her grandmother doted on her daughter-in-law, she had taken to pressuring Ga Eul's mother about the issue as well. Slowly, she descended the stairs one step at a time.

"Halmoni," she greeted politely before bowing. Then she came forward to give her grandmother a hug. In spite of her misgivings, Ga Eul found herself smiling affectionately. For all her persistence about the boyfriend issue, her grandmother was rather modern. She insisted on living by herself even after her husband passed away and took trips abroad with her close friends annually. And although she was in her late sixties, she was as sharp as a whip. Elegant and slender, Madam Lee Soo Jin was what one might call a good-looking woman. Ga Eul knew that she had inherited her large doe eyes and long lashes from her grandmother.

"There you are. And where's your boyfriend? Are you hiding him up in your room?"

"Halmoni!" Ga Eul sputtered while her mother couldn't quite hide her flabbergasted expression. It was quite clear that Yi Jeong had to remain a secret from her grandmother. Just thinking about her grandmother finding out about him gave her the chills. There would be no end to the questions and she wouldn't put it past the former to ask Yi Jeong to agree to a betrothal contract.

"Relax. I know you wouldn't do such a thing," Madam Lee muttered, conveying her disappointment with a loud sigh. "Anyway, I've decided to stay for awhile since Dong Min is away on his business trip."

Wasn't her father away for a whole twelve days? He'd just left yesterday! Ga Eul and her mother exchanged a look that thankfully, her grandmother missed as she was sipping the tea that her daughter-in-law had given her. It was quite clear that they were of one mind concerning this stay: it was going to be a very eventful twelve days.

…………..

_Ga Eul yang,_

_Right now I'm in the entertainment den of my house and you are upstairs selecting a movie that we both can watch. I must confess: I lied to you about having more DVDs here; I had my staff move everything upstairs. But I need some time to write this to you; I don't want to leave you without a present. Since you gave me a letter as my departure present the first time I left, here's my departure present to you. I've even put a stamp in it, so you have no excuse not to write to me._

_It feels more than a little strange, all these mixed feelings. On one hand, there are my parents whom I think will perhaps never stop haunting me in their own way. However, I have you. Thank you for coming for me last night. You've always been there, even when I don't deserve it. _

_It is hard to believe that I will be leaving again in a few hours, and having you so near to me makes it that much harder to bear. But I will come back a better potter and when I do, you'll be the first person I look for. Two years is a long time and in total, we would have waited for four. Still, I think that because of what someone has taught me, I'm not just capable of crafting pottery, I might actually be good at creating happy endings. _

_Yi Jeong_

Ga Eul smiled softly to herself as she re-read his letter again for the thousandth time. It was a Saturday morning and she had woken up early, in spite of having studied into the wee hours the night before. Outside, the street was quiet and although she knew her mother had woken up an hour ago, the house was completely quiet. Today, she would write back to Yi Jeong.

_Sunbae,_

_I'm not one to sing my own praises but my students do tell me that I'm a great teacher. And since I taught you about happy endings, trust me when I say that you will definitely be able to create a happy ending. Also, unlike pottery, happy endings are projects that require a joint effort. Since I'm by your side, you'll have all the support you need for this endeavour. _

Ga Eul was about to put pen to paper again when there was a loud knocking on the door. It was her grandmother. "Ga Eul ah, please come down in half an hour's time. We're going to the mall!"

"We are?" Ga Eul mumbled, staring at the door. "But I had plans…" Sighing, because she knew that it was no use arguing over such issues with her grandmother, Ga Eul put away both the letters, hiding them safely under a huge pile of notes in her drawer. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, she told herself optimistically. She had been studying hard and it would be a nice break. And she would get to spend more time with her grandmother whom she hardly ever saw. Yes, it wouldn't be so bad.

…………………

She was wrong. It was worse. Glaring at her grandmother from the corner of her eye, Ga Eul lifted her cup and pretended to take a sip of tea. She would use any paltry excuse to avoid conversation with the equally miserable looking young man seated opposite her. Next to him was his mother, who apparently was her grandmother's very close friend, Madam Park, who had by sheer coincidence, been at the same mall, waiting outside the same café that Ga Eul's grandmother had insisted on going to.

"Coincidence my foot," Ga Eul thought morosely. This had been a well set trap and she had fallen into it nicely. Someone had replaced the beloved grandmother of her childhood with this evil doppelganger whose sole aim in life was to get Ga Eul married off and pregnant.

"Ga Eul, Madam Park was asking you a question."

"Huh? Oh, my apologies. Yes?"

"What are you studying at university?"

Madam Park looked like a nice enough woman. But she was a co-conspirator in this awful plot to match-make her son, who had known nothing about this meeting, if his horrified expression had been anything to go by. And that meant she was in the same league as Ga Eul's wicked grandmother.

"Business Studies and Economics." Better to keep all plans to pursue a further degree to herself. Come to think of it, she had shared her plans with only Yi Jeong. Yi Jeong would probably smirk and laugh at her predicament. Then again, he might get jealous. But he was always so cool and unaffected all the time. But he had been jealous at least once before so shouldn't this matchmaking session make him at least uncomfortable?

And then from under the table, Ga Eul's grandmother poked her hard on her leg. "Please pardon my granddaughter Madam Park. She's always been such a dreamy child. Ga Eul, Madam Park asked you whether you had any plans after you graduate next year."

Ga Eul opened her mouth to give some commonplace and forgettable reply when inspiration and some degree of daring seized her. "Oh, I have big plans. I intend to pursue a career and maybe get transferred overseas for some experience. I love the idea of living in a foreign country. Sweden sounds interesting actually. Even if I get married, I won't stop working. Children will have to wait."

Ga Eul watched triumphantly as the look of interest on Madam Park's face drained away. She could feel her grandmother's stare on her. "Score one for Ga Eul," she thought triumphantly as she happily out another piece of cheesecake into her mouth.

…………..

_I should have known that that wasn't the end of it. The next few days can nicely be summed up as The Grandmother Strikes Back. I had no idea that she knew so many people. Either that or she secretly signed me up with a matchmaking agency. _

Yi Jeong chuckled as he read the letter. Ga Eul sounded so irate; he could just imagine the small frown that creased her smooth forehead, or that little pout she always made when she was thwarted or upset.

_Unfortunately, my "career woman" antics didn't scare of everyone. Some men are just so persistent, even when you tell them no. Some of them actually called my house and I've been forced to engage in some of the most inane conversation I've ever had. A law student actually wanted to know what different kinds of porridge the shop serves and what condiments we offer. After that, he wanted to talk about how to cook porridge! There's one person I'm not hiring if I ever need legal help. _

Called her house? Immediately Yi Jeong's mirth subsided and was replaced by something a lot less pleasant. Why didn't Ga Eul yang just put down the phone or tell them it was the wrong number? Or better yet, tell them she wasn't interested in men. She was a rather resourceful person and she should have come up with a better plan.

_I can't believe I have to endure another two weeks of this. My father has had to extend his trip and now I'm at the mercy of my grandmother. My mother won't help and I can't blame her; I am old enough to take care of myself. I don't want to be rude either but sometimes, my grandmother drives me up the wall. I suppose I'll just let her drag me around and speak to those people if I have to. Once she's gone, I'll tell them to go away._

He sat up straighter. If Ga Eul yang was trying to win a war against her grandmother, she was failing miserably. This was definitely not the way to go about it; she was being far too passive. "Do I have to be around to look after her all the time?" he muttered irritably. The thought of Ga Eul being introduced to strange men disturbed him. And although he knew she would not even look at them, he could not bear the thought of her being made out to be eligible. Because she wasn't. She belonged to him.

_I have to go now. Another 'appointment' (I refuse to refer to these as dates) has been scheduled and after that, it's back to my books. Sometimes during those 'appointments', I think about you and wonder what you are doing. Time passes faster that way. _

_Ga Eul _

That last sentence almost made up for the fact that she had gone out on a date immediately after writing him the letter. Okay fine, so she didn't think it was a date. But she shouldn't be going out at all with anyone else! He didn't care if her grandmother and half her family tree tagged along on the date; it was still wrong.

Also, he did feel that it was a little strange that Ga Eul hadn't mentioned him to her grandmother. If she had, surely all this would stop. Even if they hadn't used official terms such as girlfriend and boyfriend, there was no doubt that they were in a romantic relationship. Or maybe she just didn't want to depend on him to get her out of a sticky situation. Well, he could always ask her in his next letter.

But first, there were some matters he had to take care of. And at the top of his list, was her grandmother.


	19. XVII

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XVII

Madam Lee Soo Jin was feeling mildly exasperated. Right now, her precious granddaughter was holed up in her room with her nose in a mountain of books. Yes, it was important to study for exams. But it was even more important to plan for one's future happiness. Ga Eul would probably die an old maid, at the rate she was going. 'And I will never see my great grandchildren,' she muttered sorrowfully.

Madam Lee was busy counting her misfortunes and finding people to blame for them (her son she blamed for Ga Eul's stubbornness) when the house phone rang. Her daughter-in-law had gone out to buy groceries for that night's dinner and Ga Eul probably couldn't hear the phone from upstairs. 'Might as well pick it up,' she thought and reached for it. 'It could be one of those nice young men that Ga Eul met.' That would give her an excuse to force Ga Eul to come out of hiding.

"Hello?"

"Hello, may I speak to Madam Lee Soo Jin please?"

The man had a very nice voice indeed. But she had no idea who he was. "Yes, this is she. I don't think I know you though."

'You will in a moment,' Yi Jeong thought. His heart was beating a little faster than usual—after all, he was talking to Ga Eul yang's grandmother—but he still felt relatively calm. "My name is So Yi Jeong. Ga Eul wrote to me and in her letter, she mentioned that you were staying with her. I thought now might be a good time to introduce myself."

As he had hoped, she jumped on the detail he had dangled in front of her. "You and Ga Eul have been exchanging letters?"

He chuckled. "Yes we have. I know it sounds strange in this day and age but ever since I left to further my studies in Sweden, Ga Eul and I have been writing to each other. It takes a little longer but I think it makes our communication more personal. It was her idea actually."

Hmmm, it sounded as though this Yi Jeong was someone special to Ga Eul. There were plenty of questions that Madam Lee to ask. But the most important one had to do with the fact that Ga Eul had never mentioned him. "Are you dating my granddaughter? She's never spoken about you before."

This would be a little tricky but he had prepared for that very question. "We have been out on dates. I left before we had a chance to be an official couple though. Perhaps that's why she hasn't said anything about me. But we made a promise to wait for each other."

In spite of herself, Madam Lee found the notion rather romantic. "Hmm, is this why you are calling me? Perhaps in her letters Ga Eul has mentioned the fact that she has been on some dates."

Yi Jeong resisted the urge to tell her that those weren't dates; they were appointments. "Ga Eul has told me a little. I must admit, I do feel a little uneasy about it."

It was Madam Lee's turn to chuckle. "Jealous, are we?"

On the other end, Yi Jeong flushed slightly but consoled himself by thinking that there wasn't any man on earth in his position that wouldn't be jealous too. If it had been Jun Pyo or Woo Bin, those other men would probably be dead and buried somewhere. Ji Hoo would have just married the girl. At least he wasn't that extreme. He was taking the moderate way out.

"So, when will you be coming back?"

"In about two years," he replied.

"Two years?! I can't wait that long for great grandchildren!" Oops. She hadn't meant to say that but it had spilled out all the same.

"Great grandchildren?" Yi Jeong echoed, sounding a little bewildered and mildly horrified. Wasn't this whole scheme about getting Ga Eul paired up with someone and eventually married?

"Well, of course marriage means children and that means great grandchildren for me. Or didn't you intend to have any?" she asked sharply.

At the moment he was just getting comfortable with the idea that he was in love with Ga Eul yang and wanted a relationship with her. And had her grandmother just assumed that he was going to marry her and immediately produce children? Not that he wasn't keen on the baby-making process. He just didn't want the babies. Not yet.

"Uh, I…we never talked about it."

"So you don't want any!"

It was time to do some major backpedalling if he didn't want to be banned as a possible suitor. "But I suppose eventually we will have…babies." There, he had said it. That hadn't been too hard.

"Oh good, I want three at least. Boys or girls, it doesn't matter to me, although a son would be nice. Someone to pass on your surname. That would make your parents happy too."

Yi Jeong was so busy wondering how on earth he had landed on this slippery slope leading to marriage, babies and family planning that he almost missed Madam Lee's next question.

"So what is it that you are studying in Sweden that cannot be studied here? And why does it take two years?"

"I'm furthering my studies in pottery Madam Lee. In another two years' I will get an advanced degree and I would have learnt far more than any of my peers in Korea." Not that he had any peers now but he could not very well sing his own praises. At least not in front of Ga Eul's grandmother whom he was trying to impress.

In the silence that followed, he could've heard a pin drop. "Pottery?"

Come to think of it, the men that Ga Eul had mentioned had either been pre-med, law or even business students. He could sense a pattern there. Obviously artists hadn't made it to her list. "Yes, pottery," he said enthusiastically, choosing to forgive her for her disapproving tone on the basis that she was Ga Eul's grandmother. "It's a family business and it certainly helps to be an artist if I'm going to take over the running of the Woo Sung Museum next time."

He could almost see her eyebrows go up and her eyes widen. It never failed to impress anyone.

"The Woo Sung Museum? Your family owns that?"

"And some others in the region."

"Is this a joke young man?"

She'd blindsided him again. Thank God that if they were going to be related, it would only be by marriage. He would produce a child, plunk it into her arms and hopefully keep her out of his family's hair if it would make her happy. Wait, what was he thinking? He was still at the relationship stage with Ga Eul yang. He couldn't rush ahead of himself. Ga Eul was right; her grandmother had some kind of insidious influencing force. "Excuse me?"

"I don't know much about the high society families here but I do know that whichever family owns that museum is certainly very wealthy indeed. But those are the kinds of circles that my Ga Eul does not mix in and it's impossible that she would have met someone like you."

Apparently Ga Eul hadn't told her grandmother about Jan Di and Jun Pyo, else she might have put two and two together.

"Now, this has gone on long enough. I'm sure you aren't really So Yi Jeong and that my granddaughter has put you up to this. It's very disrespectful—"

"Madam Lee, I apologise for interrupting. However, this is not a prank. I know Ga Eul because Jan Di is dating my best friend, Gu Jun Pyo, heir to Shinhwa Enterprises. Jan Di knew us through school; she was given a scholarship to attend Shinhwa High and whenever Jun Pyo brought Jan Di on holidays, we all came along, Ga Eul included."

The charm was still there but now he sounded very firm indeed. 'Is he telling the truth?' Madam Lee wondered. It sounded like a fantastic story and Ga Eul had shared none of this with her. There would be time to interrogate her granddaughter later; for now she would listen to what this young man had to say.

"I can understand how you might think this is a scheme that Ga Eul came up." He might have been upset at being accused of being an imposter but he could understand how she had arrived at that conclusion. "It's unfortunate that I cannot be there in person to allay your suspicions. However, I would like to ask for a chance to prove to you that I am indeed who I claim to be."

That sounded interesting. "Okay, I'll give you a chance. What do you have in mind?"

"It's a surprise. But it won't be something that Ga Eul is able to come up with. You'll understand what I mean when you see it. If it's not inconvenient, please keep your afternoons for the next three days free. I hope you don't mind me keeping you in suspense."

"Not at all. I'm looking forward to seeing what surprises you have up your sleeve."

"Then I won't take up anymore of your time. Thank you for your patience Madam Lee."

He smiled when she put the phone down. Ga Eul would probably die of embarrassment if she knew what transpired and there was a good chance that she would, knowing her grandmother. He felt bad for her but was optimistic that things would work out for the best. After the next three days, he was sure that Madam Lee would stop forcing Ga Eul to meet anyone else and insist that she wait for him to return. He might have some trouble stopping his potential grandmother-in-law from dragging them down the aisle during the first week of his arrival.

Maybe she would be satisfied with an engagement first.

………………………..

"I'm busy," Ga Eul called out, trying to ignore the persistent knocking on the door. "I have exams in three weeks."

Very well, if her granddaughter wanted to play dirty like that, she could too. "Yi Jeong just called and we had a lovely conversation." She hadn't counted past two when the door was yanked open to reveal a very alarmed looking Ga Eul.

"Yi Jeong? Called? When? Why? What did you talk about?" To her frustration, her grandmother simply floated into the room past her and settled herself on the bed primly. "Halmoni!"

"So, you are dating someone called So Yi Jeong then?"

Dating?! Was that what he had told her grandmother? 'You idiotic rich chaebol,' she scolded him mentally while frantically trying to think of a way out. "Well, he's never called himself my boyfriend. We've spoken and gone out a few times. It's a little premature to be using terms like dating."

"But if you are exchanging letters with him…" Madam Lee tried not to laugh at Ga Eul's horrified expression. "Yes, he told me about the letters. It sounds serious."

"We're just keeping in touch! That's all. He probably exaggerated."

"Really? He's a multi-millionaire, at least. Why would he need to exaggerate about this?"

"Because…err…Okay, maybe he didn't mean to exaggerate but he gave you the wrong impression. We're just friends."

"Friends don't get uneasy about their friends being match-made."

Ga Eul blinked. Had Yi Jeong confessed to her grandmother that he felt jealous? Here she was waiting for his letter to gauge his response and of all things, she was getting it from her grandmother. "Did he really say that?"

Madam Lee nodded. "I think he called precisely because of this. Since you never mentioned him to me at all, a fact that he must have realised when he got your last letter, he's decided to make his presence known."

She knew it, she should've told him not to interfere. Then again, surely she didn't have to spell out everything to him! And she had said that she was handling it.

"Halmoni, let me explain…"

"Save it for tomorrow. Yi Jeong wants us to keep our afternoons free. I think he has planned some outings."

"He has?" Ga Eul watched as her grandmother got up and walked to the door. Clearly, she was enjoying the discomfort that her granddaughter was feeling at the moment.

"At first I thought that it was one of your friends posing as the real heir of the So family to get me to stop bringing you on introductory dates but from the way you have reacted, I'm pretty sure he's the real thing. I like him. We talked about marriage and he said he wants babies. At least three of them."

"What?!"

"We can discuss baby names tomorrow. Oh look, your mother's back. I'm going to help her with dinner."

"Halmoni…" Ga Eul sputtered as her grandmother scooted away before she could stop her. There was no way that she was going to pursue the subject in front of her mother and that was precisely why her grandmother was so keen to help out with dinner. She was a smart one, Ga Eul admitted grudgingly.

Her face became warm again as she recalled her grandmother's words. Marriage? Babies? There was no way that Yi Jeong would have discussed any of those with her grandmother. Would he? For a moment she felt tempted to call him and demand to know what had happened. But she stopped herself. If Yi Jeong was up to something, she would play along. There would be no harm done. However, she would make it very clear to her grandmother that there would be no marriage the moment he came back. And there was no way she was having three children.

They were stopping at two.


	20. XVIII

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XVIII

_Sunbae,_

_I know this is the second letter in a row but I have a feeling you are expecting this anyway, especially after this past week. But before I go on, I would like you to know that I loved the flowers. I didn't expect you to practically fill my home with so many different types of red irises. But they were all beautiful. Did you know the iris is a symbol of a promise? _

_My grandmother refuses to tell me exactly what the two of you talked about. All I know is that she thought you were a fraud, hence the rather spectacular three days she spent being impressed by you (yes it worked and I know that you already know that). Oh yes, there is one other thing. She said you wanted children, three to be precise. As with all things my grandmother says, I'm taking that with a pinch of salt. Just in case you were serious though, I'm letting you know that my future plans involving children are limited to two. And how on earth did you let her drag you into the subject of marriage? I told you I was handling the matter. You probably deserve whatever trauma you got for interfering. _

_But thank you for attempting to be my knight in shining armour; apparently cool guys can be nice guys too._

_Anyway, she said to tell you that she enjoyed the trip to your museum and that the guide you provided was extremely knowledgeable, not to mention good-looking. I hope you paid the poor man extra because now she has his number and is planning to arrange an appointment between him and my cousin. The restaurant she loved and I'm sure it's not a coincidence that all her favourite food was listed out on the special menu she was given. _

_Thank you for sending her to that bookstore that sells rare books. She refused to buy anything although you opened an account for her but that gesture touched her. I think you probably arranged that trip because you found out that she used to work in a library but what you couldn't have known was that she met my grandfather there. As she tells it, he was hogging the book for the longest time and after waiting an hour for him to be done with it, she went over and insisted that he give it to her. As my grandfather used to tell it, she only asked him for the book as an excuse to get to know him. She misses him terribly even after all this time; that's the side that not many people realise when they talk about love lasting forever. _

_We saw her off at the airport about three hours ago. I have no idea how you convinced her best friend to go on a five day local holiday tour with her but you pulled it off and now she is out of my hair! And she's happy because she's convinced that we're going to get married and have many children. She said I'm not allowed to even look at another man. Obviously, there will be no more appointments arranged for me. You can stop smirking now. _

_So whatever details you didn't know about, you now do. And you've managed to make three women very happy: my mother is overjoyed because now no one will pressure her with prophecies of doomed spinsterhood about me, my grandmother for obvious reasons and myself, simply because you've been so sweet, even though you also did it because you were jealous (that's the another small detail she let slip). _

_I'll thank you properly when you come back. That's a promise. For now, this long letter will have to suffice. Expect a surprise this coming New Year's eve. _

_Ga Eul _

………………………_.._

Softly humming under her breath, Ga Eul got off the bus and started walking down the narrow street that led to her home. She had just mailed her letter and in spite of her best efforts, she could not stop smiling. Just thinking about the past few days produced a warm feeling that suffused her entire being. The irises were still rather fresh and their scent lingered in the air at home. For the moment, there were reminders of Yi Jeong all around and although at times her yearning for him was so sharp it was akin to pain, there was always sweetness, especially when she thought of his return.

She was so busy thinking about him and his response when he received her letter that she didn't notice the small crowd of people outside her gate until she was a few feet away. Frowning, she stopped and stared at them. Almost all of them had mikes and …was that man actually carrying a video camera?

"There she is!"

"Miss Chu!"

Ga Eul's eyes widened as they started to descend upon her. Frantically backing away, she paused to consider if she should stay and ask them what on earth was going on, or whether she should run.

"Is it true that you and Mr So Yi Jeong are now engaged?"

"I heard he met your grandmother? Is it official? When's the wedding?"

"Miss Chu, is it true you got married to Mr So when he returned a month ago?"

Ga Eul blinked, too stunned to react as the cameras started flashing. Belatedly, she raised a hand as the questions they were yelling at her sunk in. So that's why they had been waiting outside her home.

Good grief, they were paparazzi. Later, she would find out who had spread that lie but for now, self preservation was more important than truth.

Whipping out her phone, she pressed the buttons frantically as she ran for her life from the mob behind her. Behind her, they shouted questions as the cameras clicked away. "I can't believe they're still taking pictures!" she muttered, the phone pressed to her ear as she ducked around a corner. "Pick up, pick up!"

"Yo! Ga Eul yang, what do you—"

"Woo Bin sunbae! Help! I'm being chased by reporters who think that Yi Jeong sunbae and I are engaged or married."

There was silence over the phone and for a moment Ga Eul thought that either Woo Bin had passed out or the line had gotten cut off. And then there was a loud yell.

"Woo Bin sunbae?"

"Sorry, I'm here. I just got Ji Hoo to pinch me to make sure this isn't a dream. Where are you now?"

"I'm still in my neighbourhood. I'm trying to lose them but they're like leeches. I'm hiding behind a car now."

"Try to stay hidden for as long as possible. Ji Hoo and I are on our way. We'll call you once we're there."

"Thank you Woo Bin sunbae. I can't believe this is happening."

………………………………..

"She said she can't believe this is happening. Tell me about it," Woo Bin muttered as he and Ji Hoo rummaged around for their car keys. His room was a mess, no thanks to the late night drinking session they had indulged in the night before.

"Got it." Ji Hoo held up the keys triumphantly. "Come on, let's... Oh no."

"What?" Woo Bin asked but Ji Hoo brushed past him and headed towards the television which they had left on. "Hey I asked…Oh crap."

Somewhere out there, Ga Eul was waiting for them to save her from a horde of gossip hungry paparazzi but at that moment, all they could do was stand there, eyes transfixed on the wide screen as they watched a pretty reporter and heard her loud and clear in the silence.

"And now for the latest breaking entertainment news! Sources have said that So Yi Jeong, the famous potter and heir to the wealthy So family that owns the Woo Song Museum, has recently gotten engaged to Miss Chu Ga Eul, a second year Business and Economics student at a local university. We now bring you a live interview where we have been waiting outside Miss Chu's house…"

"Is that Ga Eul yang?" Woo Bin pointed at a figure dressed in a pink blouse and black skirt, wearing boots that looked familiar. "It looks like her, except that it's a little hard to tell from the back since she's running away."

Ji Hoo's exasperated expression made it clear that he thought Woo Bin was being more than a little dense. "Obviously they found her. Come on, we have to go. Wait until Yi Jeong hears about this."

"Are you kidding? Not from you. I get first dibs on breaking the news of his marriage-engagement to him."

"You think this is funny, don't you?"

"Don't you?"

Ji Hoo's smile and quiet chuckle said it all. And then his phone rang. "Hello? Yes Jun Pyo, the media is speculating that Yi Jeong and Ga Eul are married. Stop laughing."


	21. XIX

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XIX

"Okay, here she comes. Get ready," Woo Bin warned even as he stepped on the accelerator. Thankfully, the road was empty at the moment and Ga Eul came dashing across it, looking frantically to her left and right even as he pushed open the car door and beckoned for her to get in.

"You weren't kidding about the reporters!" Woo Bin exclaimed as he eyed the small crowd that came running after her. But before they could make it across the road, there was a furious screech of wheels on tar and the ear piercing blare of an extremely loud horn. The reporters shouted in alarm, scooting back to the pavement as Ji Hoo's white Mini Cooper blazed past them.

"And he's right on time! Let's go Ga Eul yang. Fasten your seatbelt!" Woo Bin whooped as he revved the engine and hit the accelerator.

Ga Eul was about to thank him for rescuing her when Ji Hoo's call came through. "Nice going bro. Operation RCW is an official success. See you at your place."

Ga Eul raised an eyebrow. "What does that stand for?"

Woo Bin chuckled; she wasn't going to like this. "It's short for Rescue Casanova's Wife."

"That's not funny!"

"It is from our perspective."

"I can't even go home. They'll be lying in wait for me," Ga Eul wailed before slumping back against the seat. "They aren't going to print any articles are they?"

There was no easy way to tell her. "Ga Eul ssi, you shouldn't be worrying about the newspapers. It's on the TV entertainment news."

"What? Oh my God, why?!"

…………………..

"Because," Ji Hoo explained patiently as he sat her down on the sofa and poured her a cup of tea, "Yi Jeong is a celebrity of sorts. While all of us are famous, our fame differs depending on the context or circles you are referring to. There isn't anyone worth his salt in the world of business that doesn't know who Jun Pyo is. When it comes to businesses with a slightly shadier tinge," Ji Hoo stole a look at Woo Bin who was some distance away, looking out of the window with his phone to his ear as he paced about, "you don't get more famous than Woo Bin."

"And in politics, your connections carry heavier clout," Ga Eul finished. "But Yi Jeong sunbae comes from a family of artists. Very wealthy and famous artists but essentially, why should the paparazzi care about what he does anymore than they would any other socialite?"

"Ga Eul, Yi Jeong is a South Korean prodigy potter who debuted at the Venice Biennale with stunning success. He's not just an artist; he's an artist who stirs up a lot of national pride in the population. Yi Jeong's works have been featured in museums and exhibitions overseas, and he gets plenty of newspaper coverage when those occur. Plus, as you mentioned, he is wealthy, handsome and has a colourful past when it comes to the opposite gender. That makes for great entertainment nowadays."

She'd never thought of him as being famous. He had always just been Yi Jeong sunbae to her. "I guess I've been a little naïve," she murmured, curling her fingers around the cup for warmth.

"Perhaps," Ji Hoo acknowledged. "But then again, that's why he liked you to begin with. You saw through the glamour and the looks."

Startled, Ga Eul looked up to see Ji Hoo smiling gently at her. It felt strange to be discussing her relationship with Ji Hoo, but she found his reassurance and calm presence comforting. "Thank you Ji Hoo sunbae. And for rescuing me too."

"Anything for Casanova's wife." He grinned as she shot him a mock scowl.

Both of them turned as they heard Woo Bin swear. "He's not picking up the phone. I can't get through at all. I sent him a couple of texts explaining what happened. Hopefully he'll call back soon."

"Did you manage to find out how this rumour was started?" Ga Eul asked anxiously, biting her lip. She was already wondering how she could clear up this mess and when she could go home.

"Well, in a way, it's Yi Jeong's fault. When you're an F4 member, you don't get away with extravagant gestures like the ones he made without having someone blab about it to the press. Especially if you send thousands of dollars worth of flowers to a girl and pay for her grandmother to go on a holiday. I think it was your grandmother's involvement that sent the marriage or engagement rumours into overdrive. That's all my men could find out anyway. It would be nice to find the blabbermouth and make him or her pay for it but unfortunately, there are too many people involved, although I doubt Yi Jeong's staff would be the culprits."

"It wouldn't do any good even if we did find them," Ji Hoo said thoughtfully. "What we need to figure out is how to keep Ga Eul away from the media. I don't think she can go home, at least not for today."

Ga Eul was busy trying to digest the fact that those irises had cost thousands and that it had been Yi Jeong's own jealousy that had made them the centre of a media storm. "Can we turn on the television?" she asked. Suddenly, she wanted—needed—to know how bad the situation was.

"Are you sure you want to?" Ji Hoo asked but Ga Eul was already reaching for the remote.

All three of them watched the screen as she switched to the entertainment news channel. To her horror, she and Yi Jeong appeared to be the fodder of the day.

"Currently, we have been unable to contact celebrity potter So Yi Jeong…"

"Join the club," Woo Bin muttered.

"However, we have ascertained that he did indeed pay for Madam Lee Soo Jin, Miss Chu's grandmother, and her best friend's holiday tour. It looks like those engagement rumours floating around may be true after all. One wonders if there are other reasons for a secret and hurried engagement or wedding. Could we be, pardon the pun, expecting baby news—"

Ji Hoo switched it off when he realised that Ga Eul's face was turning an alarming shade of red. "Is—is she saying I'm pregnant?"

Ga Eul normally had a lovely soothing voice but now she was almost screeching. She sounded like Geum Jan Di when she was fighting with Jun Pyo actually, Woo Bin thought. Now might not be the best time to crack a joke about that though. It was one thing to be rumoured to be married or engaged to a celebrity potter; it was another for a nationally syndicated entertainment news programme to broadcast to the nation that she might be pregnant and unmarried.

At that precise moment, his phone rang. It was Yi Jeong.

…………………………………

"Not good enough."

Yi Jeong resisted the urge to scream and break something. Like his master's neck. Plus, the way that old man was craning it as he proceeded to find fault with the tiny jade green and olive rice bowl seemed like an open invitation to Yi Jeong.

"It looks dead, which is absolutely disastrous for celadon. Didn't you study that sake vessel and jar I gave you?"

If he had stared any longer at them either his eyes or the vessel would have given way. He didn't even have to think for the images of those two objects to appear. He knew by heart every mark, every curve, the way the light bounced off the glaze from a certain angle. So why couldn't he reproduce it?

He rubbed his tired eyes and looked up to see his mentor standing there, weighing the bowl in his hand while watching him like a hawk. "Yes I did study it," he answered mechanically.

"You missed something then."

"Maybe it's because I've only started a month ago?" Yi Jeong drawled sarcastically as he massaged his aching shoulders. That bowl had taken him countless hours to produce and it was such a simple piece. It felt like the work had sucked the soul out of his body. Usually working on pottery brought him immeasurable satisfaction but celadon was a daunting mountain that most talented potters steered clear off. So naturally, his mentor had to insist that this be the next goal in their training.

"Do you or do you not want to learn this?"

There were plenty of different kinds of pottery skills to master. If he said no, his mentor would never ask him again and they would simply proceed on to something else. Something less difficult, something that he could be fully confident of mastering in a third of the time it usually took other people.

"I want to learn this." Then again, he had never been one to shy away from a challenge thrown at him. And what was the point of remaining in one's comfort zone always? If he had not faced his inner fears, he would have missed out on the sweetest thing in his life now. Celadon was the one area which he actually wondered if he would ever master. The next two years would be as good a time as any to find out what exactly was the limit of his talent.

"Good. Then this is what we will do. No more letters, no phone calls, no interruptions for at least two weeks. You'll stay here at my workshop and we will discuss exactly what it is that you missed, what you see when you look at the pieces."

A part of Yi Jeong wanted to protest; he was sure that Ga Eul was going to send a letter and he wanted to read it. He wanted to write to her, to let her know what he was working on now, to put his heart and mind down on paper so that he could speak to her.

"It's only two weeks. Surely you'll be able to survive two weeks without writing to her or reading her letters."

It was hard to believe that this cranky elderly man had been designated a Living National Treasure. Nishikado Akira, who had more Korean and British blood in him in spite of his very Japanese name, had been a contemporary of Yi Jeong's own grandfather. He had caused a stir in Asia during his years there but had left about two decades ago for semi-retirement in Europe. Yi Jeong knew that his grandfather and master had never met but often wondered what a meeting between the two would have been like. They would probably have hated each other, given how similar they actually were.

'And that includes their gigantic egos,' Yi Jeong thought sourly. "I didn't say I wouldn't do it," came his testy reply and he winced, knowing that he sounded like a nine-year-old. That was another thing those two old men had in common: they reduced sensible adults to children. His father, for all his devil may care, blasé attitude towards life was terrified of his grandfather. That was why he had left the woman he loved and thrown everything away.

"Great. We'll start tomorrow. Clean up the workshop and don't throw this away." Nishikado placed the bowl gently on the table. "If you can see your mistake, hopefully you won't make it again."

It would be quite useless to glare at his master as the latter took his leave so Yi Jeong didn't bother. He would have to clean the wheel and mop the floor, chores that he was by now used to. Never mind, he consoled himself. Two weeks might seem interminably long now but time would pass and he would receive her letter. A smile touched his lips as he anticipated its contents, wondering whether she would mention the irises he had sent, a symbol of his promise.

After ensuring that the workshop was nothing less than sparking clean, Yi Jeong picked up his bag and walked out to the front of the house where his driver was waiting with the car. Gratefully, he sank into the soft leather cushioning. Every bone in his body ached and fatigue was threatening to close his eyes at any minute. Sleepily, he slipped out his handphone and switched it on. Only to have it suddenly buzz and beep like mad thing. Checking his inbox, Yi Jeong found ten messages. All of them were from Woo Bin.

**Yi Jeong, where are you? Call me now!**

**Yi Jeong, why haven't you called me yet? Switch on your damned phone!**

**Ga Eul's being hounded by the paparazzi. Ji Hoo and I are on the way to save her. **

**Btw, did I mention the news is saying that you married or got engaged to Ga Eul?**

The remaining messages were completely forgotten as Yi Jeong stared at the words on the screen. How in the hell had that happened?

As he dialled Woo Bin's number, Yi Jeong had the sinking feeling that someone involved in his planned surprises for Ga Eul's grandmother had spoken to the press and claimed that there was some kind of marriage or engagement plans involved. "Damn damn damn," he cursed softly as he waited for Woo Bin to pick up.

"It's about time you called back."

Woo Bin sounded distinctively relieved. In the background, he could hear Ji Hoo and Ga Eul but could not quite make out their conversation. Ga Eul sounded louder and higher than usual though.

"What's going on?"

"Well, apparently now you've gotten her pregnant."

"What the hell!"

"You took the words out of my mouth, buddy."


	22. XX

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XX

"It's about time you called."

Ga Eul's attention turned from the mortifying knowledge that now probably all her friends, family and countless strangers thought she was unmarried and pregnant to the fact that the culprit for her woes was now on the phone with Woo Bin. Oddly enough, she didn't want to scold him. She just wanted to hear his voice and listen to him tell her that everything would be alright.

Unfortunately, Woo Bin had gotten up and was walking away. Ga Eul moved to stand but Ji Hoo stopped her. "I should speak to him. Does he know what happened?" Try as she might, she couldn't quite keep her voice from rising. "Yi Jeong sunbae needs to tell them it isn't true."

"Calm down Ga Eul. Woo Bin will tell him what he needs to know." Ji Hoo patted her hand. And then he heard Woo Bin's next words.

"Well, apparently now you've gotten her pregnant."

Hmm, not exactly the best way of breaking sensitive news, especially with an overwrought Ga Eul within earshot. Ga Eul emitted a strange choking sound and looked so embarrassed that Ji Hoo's heart went out to her.

"I want to speak to him," Ga Eul said softly.

"Hey, he wants to speak to you," Woo Bin called out and coming over, held out the phone to her. "Ji Hoo ah, let's go plan the next stage of Operation RCW."

"I was just about to say that."

………….

"Hello?

He really needed to say something now but Yi Jeong found that apparently, the connection between his mouth and brain had been cut. His hands were suddenly clammy and his throat might be trying to close up of its own accord. What could he say? Hi, Ga Eul yang, I'm sorry that your reputation has been somewhat ruined. Don't worry though, I'm sure out there somewhere in this country of ours, some people don't have TV and they don't know what happened.

No, somehow he didn't think that would go down well.

"Yi Jeong sunbae? Are you there?"

Say something you pabo, his brain screamed at him and finally his mouth moved. "Ga Eul yang… I'm so sorry. I just meant to help…I mean, I did do it for myself too but I never meant for things to become like this… I'll fix it, I swear I will…"

A soft chuckle from her stopped the flow of his words. "Did I say something wrong?" he asked, wondering when was the last time that he had felt so uncertain, so anxious with a girl. Ga Eul yang always had the ability to turn his world on its head, she cut the ground from under his feet without trying but she always caught him when he fell.

She pressed the phone closer to her ear. "I'm not angry with you sunbae," she assured him quietly. "I wouldn't give those irises back even if it meant undoing all this." And to her amazement, she really meant it. "So what should we do now?"

Yi Jeong kept silent for a moment, feeling overwhelmed by the fact that he had single-handedly disrupted her life and thrust her into a world which she shouldn't be a part of. Worse of all, her reputation was at stake. And through it all, she still trusted him to make things right. It humbled him, to know that she believed he would be able to take care of her.

"I'm calling my publicist to issue a statement refuting everything that the reporters have been saying so far. I'm also going to get my lawyers to contact you. If the media goes too far, you may have grounds to sue and I want them to know you have the backing and advice of one of the best law firms in the country. Jun Pyo and Jun Hee noona have a lot of influence too; I'll see what they can do. That's all I can think of at the moment."

More than anything else though, he wanted to fly back to Korea to be with her. As grateful as he was to Ji Hoo and Woo Bin, he felt rather useless for being unable to help her directly.

"I suppose you can't come back?" Ga Eul knew it was just wishful thinking on her part. If Yi Jeong returned, the scrutiny would get worse. "It would look as if some part of what they are saying is true."

"Yes it would," he replied. "Trust me, if I could come back I would. Or if I could bring you to Sweden, somewhere away from the pa—" Yi Jeong shut his mouth the moment he realised what he had said. The fatigue and stress of the situation had gotten the better of him and that latter part had slipped out.

In spite of herself, Ga Eul blushed. It sounded like a wonderful option actually; to go away from it all with him. However, she was quite sure that her parents would say no and kill Yi Jeong if he tried to suggest as much. 'Halmoni would probably allow it if he offered to marry me on the spot though.' And it would appear to confirm the rumours, making matters even worse.

"You can bring me to Sweden next time sunbae," she said lightly. "But whatever you've suggested will help a lot. I'm going to call my mother and explain the situation. My father is coming home soon and I need to speak to him too. Don't worry about my grandmother, I'll tell her that she can't speak to those reporters no matter what."

"I guess that covers all the bases for now then. By the way, what is Operation RCW? I overheard Woo Bin mention that when he passed you the phone."

"Er, it's some silly joke Woo Bin sunbae and Ji Hoo sunbae made up. It's not important."

"Well, if it isn't important you should be able to tell me." She had piqued his curiosity now.

"Really, it's nothing."

"Okay, I'll ask them then."

"No!" she blurted out. Woo Bin would probably embellish the joke with all kinds of details and more jokes that she would invariably find embarrassing. "It stands for…for…"

"Yes?" He was beginning to enjoy this. It was too easy to imagine what she looked like now, those large doe eyes filled with a little uncertainty, her fair skin pink from the blush that touched her cheeks.

"ItstandsforOperationRescueCasanova'sWife. Oh look, Woo Bin sunbae is here. I'll pass the phone back to him now."

"Wait, Ga Eul yang—"

"Yo bro, sorry to disappoint you. What did you say to her? She practically knocked over Ji Hoo to return the phone to me."

Yi Jeong laughed when he heard Ga Eul exclaiming in the background that Woo Bin shouldn't have told him that. "I asked her to explain what Operation RCW stands for."

"Ah, no wonder. Anyhow, you decided what your next move is going to be?"

"Yes. I'm calling my publicist and lawyers after this. She can't go home tonight though."

"For sure. Ji Hoo and I have worked out a plan. I've given instructions for my guys to tail her and make sure the reporters keep their distance. She'll stay at Ji Hoo's house until everything cools down. Given the fact that his grandfather is here, I doubt the paparazzi would want to linger around the house of an ex-President. Geum Jan Di's coming over and Jun Pyo called earlier. He said he'll pull some strings for you. At least that's what I think he said. He couldn't quite stop laughing."

"Bastard," Yi Jeong muttered. Still, he made a mental note to call Jun Pyo afterwards and thank him.

"Yeah, but it is funny."

"I'll remind you of this moment if a similar thing should ever befall you. Where's Ga Eul yang?"

"She's on the phone now. I think she just called her grandmother."

So much for getting to say good-bye. It would have to wait until next time. "Thanks Woo Bin ah. I don't know what would have happened to her without you guys. Can I speak to Ji Hoo?"

"He's gone to pick up Jan Di and then they're going to Ga Eul's house to pack some stuff for her. It was our pleasure to help. We might work this into our best men's speech at your wedding."

"You—"

"Talk to you again Yi Jeong ah. Bye!"

Yi Jeong stared at the phone in his hand, quite unable to believe that Woo Bin had hung up on him. In spite of himself, a small grin touched his lips. Woo Bin was sadly mistaken if he thought Yi Jeong was going to let him embarrass him on his big day. He would sit Woo Bin next to a certain Monkey Girl; that would solve the problem.

Before he proceeded to make the first of many calls, there was one last thing he had to do.

**You didn't say good-bye. **

Less than a minute later, he received her reply.

**Well, that's your fault. But if it makes you happy, here it is: Goodbye sunbae. **

**Hmm, it doesn't sound sincere. **

**That's not my problem! **

**Tsk, temper Ga Eul yang. **

**Sunbae, don't you have calls to make? **

**Yes I do. But I thought this was just as important. Don't worry okay? Everything will be fine. **

**Sunbae… You don't worry too. We'll be alright. **

**Goodbye Ga Eul yang.**

**Goodbye Yi Jeong sunbae. **

……………

Ga Eul had experienced the power the Gu family wielded before; her father had lost his job because of Jun Pyo's mother after all. But this time, she was grateful for the kind of influence they had. Sometimes it felt a little magical to her, the way things moved behind the scenes when the Gu family wanted something done.

Between Jun Pyo's calls and Yi Jeong's high powered attorneys (she had expected one lawyer; he had sent her a senior partner with a team of lawyers under him), the media glare had all but melted away in less than two weeks. Sure, people still talked, especially about how the other F4 members closed ranks to protect her but the official statement issued by Yi Jeong's publicist was now more or less accepted. He and Miss Chu Ga Eul were no more than good friends. They were not engaged or married. She was not pregnant and anyone who persisted in spreading such news would be sued until they were bankrupt. That last part had been worked in as a subtle implication but apparently, the message had gotten through.

Things at home had been a little more complicated. Ga Eul propped her head up on the soft pillows and switched off the lights. It had been a long and exhausting day and she had had to explain herself all over again to her father who had been understandably irritated and upset by the entire debacle. And he didn't seem to be quite happy about Yi Jeong being in the picture as a possible suitor for Ga Eul. Yi Jeong's reputation as a Casanova had been bandied about by the press and it had only been a matter of time before the news reached her parents. And now her mother was worried about Ga Eul being cheated on and dumped by him. The only person who was relatively chirpy was her grandmother who was firmly convinced that Yi Jeong was serious about Ga Eul. All in all, to say that it was a less than ideal way for her family to find out about Yi Jeong would have been an understatement.

From under her pillow, she pulled out the unopened blue envelope. He had written; the letter had just arrived that morning and there was something else inside too. Holding it close, she pressed it against her cheek. When Yi Jeong returned he would meet her parents eventually, if everything between them worked out well. They would like him, she was sure he would be able to win them over. Whatever difficulties they faced, it would be worth it in the end. She would show Yi Jeong that he could have a happy ending.

Ga Eul fell asleep that night, holding his letter in her hand, and dreaming of irises.


	23. XXI

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XXI

**Six months ago**

_Ga Eul yang, _

_My lawyers assure me that by the time this letter reaches you, the situation, if I may call it that, should have improved. Jun Pyo says to let you know that he has the various media companies involved wrapped around his little finger and there will be no more reporters hounding you. _

_Unfortunately, I've noticed that prior to the damage control, my uh, experience with the ladies was highlighted and I have no doubt that some of these might have reached the ears of your family. Unless you want to tell your parents that we really are only good friends, I don't think I've ever met any parents who feel happy that their daughter might be involved with someone officially branded by the media as "The Casanova of Korea" (yes, the newspapers were so very creative). Actually, I've never met any parents before either. What I want to say is that you should deal with the situation in the best way that you see fit to, I won't be upset. But when I come back, and when we are ready, I should meet them and set their mind at ease. Maybe your grandmother should be around. It would be nice to have a support base. Tell her that I've changed my mind and that four is a nice number where children are concerned. _

_I'm glad you liked the irises, even though they brought you so much trouble. I know that they symbolise promises. They also represent virtue and wisdom, amongst other things. They remind me of you. _

_I won't be able to write to you for some time. Thanks to the blowout in Korea, I had to postpone the next stage of my pottery training and my mentor is furious, to say the least. To be honest, I can't blame him. Celadon is one of the hardest types of pottery to produce and it is the one thing that I've always had difficulty with. It takes years to master the skills and I only have two years left in Sweden. Therefore, he is insisting on a three month long training session during which I am not to write, take phonecalls unless it is absolutely urgent (so far, the only thing that qualifies as urgent, according to him, is a death in the family), or leave his workshop. If I do any of the above, he will send me packing. I'm not sure if I will survive this ordeal—not the pottery but having to see him everyday—but you know what they say about what doesn't kill you. And immediately after that, I have an exhibition to prepare for. _

_Since I'll be stuck with him during New Year's, I wanted to give you your present early. If you're going to be labelled as Casanova's wife, you'll need a ring to make it official. It's a smaller version of the one that I wear, and you'll notice that I've taken the liberty of having my name inscribed on the inner band. I've added a chain as well. That way, you can wear it and not worry about all that gossip starting again. _

_I hope next year will be a more peaceful one for you and I. Happy New Year in advance Ga Eul yang. _

_Yi Jeong_

**Three months ago**

_Sunbae,_

_First, here's the bad news. I've explained the situation to my father and he is still not happy. The good news though is that my mother seems a little bit more reassured of your sincerity, especially since I showed her the ring and assured her that there was no chance of any 'accidents' occurring that would result in the rumours proving to be true. My grandmother was a little disappointed when I told her about the latter though. Sometimes I can't believe that we are related. _

_By the way, under no circumstances am I going to mention four children to my grandmother. You have no idea what kind of trouble we will be in for if you do. And you cannot use children as a bribe to win her over! It will work but it is wrong. Besides, I'm the one who will have to do all the labour, mind you. It's a great pity that evolution overlooked men when it went to work on the seahorses. _

_When you read this, your three months of training should be over. How did it go? I have every confidence that you will be able to master the art of producing Celadon pottery. I spoke to Teacher Jun about Celadon and he admitted that it is notoriously hard to produce. But he also told me that someone as talented as you will be able to master it. All you need is passion, patience and vision. He showed me some pieces that he made and they are beautiful. I cannot wait to see your work. Some photos would be nice. _

_Thank you for the ring. Like the irises and you, it's beautiful._

_I'm wearing it on the chain since people are still talking about us, at least on campus. I can't blame them; after all, it is hard to remain inconspicuous when you have an entourage of men dressed in black suits with sunglasses following you around. But I am very grateful for Woo Bin sunbae and Ji Hoo sunbae's help. They said that I don't have to repay them at the moment but mentioned something about a speech on an important day. They wouldn't elaborate though. They said to ask you about it. _

_I hope you like your New Year's Eve present. You mentioned happy endings in one of your letters and for now, this is the only way to give one to you. _

_Happy New Year sunbae, belated as this may be. _

_Ga Eul_

**Present**

Everything had gone as planned. It was perfect. Yesterday's exhibition had been a success and there were several very influential businessmen and politicians in attendance who had taken a great interest in his work. One of them had already spoken to him about a private commission. There were offers to buy the works he had on display.

And best of all, he had the photos. The photographer he had spoken to had done a great job of capturing the whole exhibit. From the people to the art on display, to the lights and floral centre pieces, it was all there. There were a few shots of him but he intended to send Ga Eul only two. Yi Jeong was aware that one some level, he was vain but he was not so vain as to send her all the photos featuring him.

As he was picking out the photographs he would send her, his eyes strayed to the present she had sent him. She had modelled it after a scrabble board, although hers was smaller in scale. She had included the alphabet pieces too; these had been moulded to the base. Carefully arranged in an intricate pattern, the words read: And they lived happily ever after.

It was so like his Ga Eul yang to send something like this. It was romantic, sweet, reflective of her and it meant the world to him.

Yi Jeong had just finished picking out the photos and was about to start writing when a knock on the door interrupted him.

"Sir?"

"Yes, what is it?" Normally he would have gotten up to open the door but he remained seated, hoping his butler would take the hint and leave him in peace.

"I'm sorry to disturb you sir but your father has just arrived."

The blood drained from Yi Jeong's face. For a moment he just sat there, unable to believe what he was hearing. Mechanically, he rose to his feet and pushed the door open. He almost didn't notice his visibly worried butler trailing closely after him.

He found his father in the hall, seated comfortably on the sofa, a glass of wine in his hand. Yi Jeong made a mental note to buy a new sofa set. "What do you want?" he asked flatly, ignoring the presence of his staff who were taking his father's bags away.

So Hyun Sub looked at his son coolly, fully aware of the hostility in the latter's blank stare. "Thank you for your concern. I'm fine, as you can see."

Yi Jeong clenched his jaw, and looked away slightly. No matter what he did, his father could always get under his skin. "Let's dispense with the usual sarcasm. Why are you here?"

"Because your grandfather sent me." Hyun Sub took another sip of wine, staring into its deep red depths. "He wants me to speak to you about your marriage."

He couldn't be more stunned than if his father had hit him. "What?"

"Your marriage. The arrangements have been made. Your grandfather has already picked out your prospective bride and her family has said yes. He meant to wait until you returned but you made a mess and publicly linked yourself to a commoner. That's why he decided to bring forward the engagement. It's going to be announced within a week's time."

The irony of the moment was not lost on Hyun Sub. More than twenty years ago, that despairing young man standing in the hall had been him, and the one seated on the sofa had been his father. "I told you, son. No matter what you do or where you go, you're destined to follow in my footsteps."

Try as he might, Yi Jeong couldn't say a word. Instead, he turned on his heel and walked back to his room. Locking the door was a futile gesture but it made him feel better, as though he could keep the trap set for him at bay. Sitting down at his table, he looked at the photos. It was impossible for him to write to her now.

Once more his gaze fell on her present. Happily ever after suddenly seemed so very far away.


	24. XXII

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XXII

Yi Jeong knew that he could not stay in his room forever. In one week his engagement would be splashed all over every society magazine and column in the country. Ga Eul might receive the news in advance from any of the other F4 members because they would hear the rumours first. Mergers, he thought bitterly, did not stay secret for the long in their world.

Thoughts swirled in his head, a mesh of memories, plans, hopes, fears and images. He recalled a cool day on Jeju Island, standing in a field of bright yellow flowers with Ga Eul. He had looked for her, had wanted her company even as he had to stand helplessly by and watch Jun Pyo, of all people, be forced into a loveless marriage.

"_Sunbae, do you accept this as your fate too?" _

He had known why she was asking. Deliberately wanting to crush any hopes she harboured, and now looking back, the secret hope that he had been trying to deny, he had given her the worst answer possible. One woman or another, it didn't make a difference, it would not affect his future.

The irony of it all sank in and Yi Jeong felt suffocated. What he wouldn't give to take that back; he knew now how much difference it made, now that he had her. Burying his head in his hands, he inhaled deeply, not bothering to look up even as he heard someone unlock the door and enter his room. There was only one person who would dare to intrude.

Hyun Sub closed the door quietly behind him, his eyes taking in the figure of his son, his head in his hands, hunched up on the chair before the table. He could see that there were photographs strewn across the surface, a crushed ball of white paper lying next to a pen.

"Did you come to gloat?"

Was he crying? Hyun Sub selected a chair on the other side of the room, opposite his son. The distance was not close enough to cause discomfort to either of them, yet it allowed him to observe his son.

"If you have nothing to say, then leave." This time, Yi Jeong looked up and those angry brown-black eyes full of pain reminded Hyun Sub of his wife. That was the primary reason why he could not stand his youngest. The latter looked too much like the woman who had taken away his happiness.

"Before I do that, I need an answer from you. Are you going to agree to this marriage or not?"

There was a long pause and for a moment Hyun Sub thought that he had been wrong, that the gutsy Chu Ga Eul who poured a glass of water on Yi Jeong's head had meant nothing, that Yi Jeong was going to roll over for his grandfather.

"When I do marry, it will be to a woman who says yes to me because I asked. So what am I to be threatened with now?"

If nothing, at least the So heirs knew the drill. "The same thing that I was …advised with—your grandfather's words, not mine—when I was only a little bit older than yourself. Like I said, things don't change."

…………………..

Ga Eul was not in the habit of getting into strange cars but the chauffeur had handed her a card with a simple request to meet her and an address at the back. She recognised the latter; it was Yi Jeong's house, the one he shared with his parents.

It seemed that going to work was not a sufficient reason to turn down this appointment and Ga Eul was beginning to suspect that the request was more like an order. After texting Jan Di to let her know what happened, since she firmly believed it was better to err on the side of caution, Ga Eul sat back and tried to unsuccessfully relax while she was driven to the house. In spite of her many trips there, she had only ever been to Yi Jeong's workshop, and never inside the house itself.

It seemed a little farfetched to imagine that either of Yi Jeong's parents would want to meet her, and to be honest, his father was the last person that she wanted to see. However, it had to be either of them. 'Or maybe both of them.' The thought made her slightly queasy. She wondered how Yi Jeong would feel about this and made a note to mention it to Woo Bin or Ji Hoo. If they thought it was a big deal, they would tell Yi Jeong. And if he thought it was a big deal, he would call her. At least there was a silver lining somewhere in all this.

When they reached the house, there was someone there to escort her to the door and into the hall. "Miss Chu, please follow me." A maid curtsied to her and proceeded to lead the way. Ga Eul would never remember much about the place even as she tried to take in all of it. She remembered thinking that it was so much bigger than Ji Hoo's place, so much more imposing. She recalled paintings adorning the wall but could not recall what they were about. The one thing she would always remember was the nervousness that kept gnawing away at her. It was so bad that at times she thought she was going to be sick.

"Here you are Miss Chu," the maid said sweetly as she pushed open the door. "Please go in."

Gulping hard, Ga Eul clutched her little bag tightly in her hands and walked in. Behind her, the heavy mahogany door closed with a thud that sounded all too final to her. It was a large room, a very large one. And seated on an expensive looking sofa, was a man. It wasn't Yi Jeong's father.

"Good-good afternoon," she said, wincing at the obvious stutter in her voice. "I'm sorry but I'm afraid I don't know who you are."

"Miss Chu, please have a seat." Ignoring her question, he raised his hand and indicated that she should sit opposite him.

Ga Eul obeyed. If she had been feeling nervous before, she was downright intimidated now.

"I thought it would be good to make your acquaintance," he said in that smooth deep voice of his. She realised he was very well dressed, rather like Yi Jeong actually. Everything was there, from the jacket, to the vest and tie. "We need to have a discussion about Yi Jeong."

Her eyes widened. "Er, we do?"

He smiled and she thought it was more out of habit because the smile never made it all the way to those cool eyes that were openly appraising her. "Yes, my name is So Hyun Seung. I'm Yi Jeong's grandfather."

…………......

As a child, he had heard occasional gossip by eavesdropping. Eventually, as a teenager, he heard more from his father and mother, usually when they were drunk or suicidal respectively. By then he had concluded that his father had never loved his mother. Now, as an adult, he knew exactly why they had even gotten married.

Yi Jeong had never been close to his grandfather. Apart from hardly seeing the latter, he knew that what his grandfather prized the most about him was his talent. It accounted for the way Il Hyun had been ignored by him when it became clear that Yi Jeong was the more gifted potter. Still, he could hardly believe his ears as his father began reciting the list of measures that would be taken against him should he fail to comply with the marriage.

"Your grandfather will disown you in all but name. That would create too great a scandal but you can forget about working in any museum in Asia, let alone Korea. Even if you wanted to be an artist, he would make it impossible for you to earn a living. You'll be cut off from the So family funds, and also out of his will."

For a long moment there was a stunned silence as Yi Jeong struggled to digest the information. "Just because I want to marry a woman of my own choosing?" His voice rose in anger even though he knew his father was not the person responsible for this predicament.

"No. He'll do it because it's a matter of pride. He'll do it because he expects your obedience. No matter how he gets it." In spite his deceptively light tone, Hyun Sub's voice sounded bitter to his own ears but he didn't care.

Seconds later, Hyun Sub heard the next question that he had been expecting.

"Is Haraboji going to do anything to Ga Eul?"

………………

"Yi Jeong is engaged?" She ought to be screaming or panicked, or feel something when told the man she loved was being forced to marry someone else. But at that very moment, Ga Eul felt nothing. Somewhere in the back of her mind was a little niggling thought that some part of her brain and heart had shut down, probably out of self preservation. The breakdown would come later. For now, she could not fall apart in front of the deceptively benign looking, elderly man who sat before her.

"Yes, to the daughter of a business associate of mine. She is currently studying overseas but when they both return in two years, the wedding will take place."

"Does Yi Jeong's fiancée know about this marriage?"

"Her parents have said yes. She will agree to it."

"I see." Her tone was carefully neutral but her words conveyed her disapproval all the same.

"Different classes have different ideas about marriage Miss Chu."

Obviously she was meant to be the lower classes. Ga Eul gave a small shrug. "I suppose so. Marriage is about love and respect between two people, at least I think it should be. But why didn't you leave Yi Jeong to tell me the news? I don't understand why you had to trouble yourself and bring me here."

"Yi Jeong, as you may know, can be quite stubborn. I was hoping that you would persuade him."

"You think that he won't leave me."

Hyun Seung smiled, as though in approval. "You're very perceptive. There is a chance of that, yes. I have done some investigating into the matter and I am told that my grandson has been writing to you. But if you truly love him, you'll tell him to put his duties to his family before himself."

"And if he doesn't want to?"

"It's quite simple then. I'm going to disinherit him. He can forget about pursuing a career as an artist in Korea too, or anywhere else in Asia for that matter. If there is one thing I cannot condone, Miss Chu, it is a lack of filial piety to one's family. As the heir of the So family, it is his duty to make a marriage that will benefit the family."

Ga Eul would have wrapped her arms around herself if she could have. What turned her blood cold was the realisation that Yi Jeong's grandfather truly believed in everything he was saying.

…………………………

At least in this aspect, his son was luckier than he had been. "No, not because he doesn't want to, but because I don't think he can. Thanks to you, she has friends in high places. Also, she is not interested in working as an artist, at least I hope she isn't. She's talented, but not that good."

On any other occasion, Yi Jeong would have differed, to put it mildly. Now was not the time though, so he reined in his temper.

"If she wants to teach pottery classes to children, she'll be alright. As long as she keeps out of our world."

At least she was safe. He did not have to worry then. As it was, he wasn't even sure if he could look after himself now. "Is this why you let her go?" Yi Jeong asked suddenly.

"What?"

"The woman you loved. You mentioned her that night…Is this why you let her go?"

Hyun Sub looked away. "She was an artist; your grandfather would have destroyed her career before it had even begun."

"Where is she now?"

"I don't know. I never bothered to find out," he snapped with an irritated sigh. The truth was that he couldn't bear to find out. And one day, it ceased to matter. The only thing he had left of them was the day he had walked away from her. She had been such a proud woman but she had begged him to stay. Getting to his feet, he looked down at his son. "Think about it for the night. You can give me your reply in the morning before I leave."

……………..

"Think about it for as long as you want. My son has gone to visit Yi Jeong. I suspect my grandson will be contacting you shortly. I hope that you will advise him on the best course of action for him."

And with that, she knew she was being dismissed. It took all her strength just to stand, bow and bid him good-bye politely. During the car ride to the studio, she was numb. Thoughts raced around in her head and yet nothing truly registered. It was obvious that Yi Jeong's grandfather hoped to use her to make Yi Jeong give in but at the same time, she did not know if she could ask Yi Jeong not to. The price that he would have to pay was so terribly high.

"Stop the car."

"Miss Chu?"

"Here, stop it now please." Her hands were already pulling on the handle as the chauffeur hurriedly pulled over to the side of the street. "Thank you," she muttered quickly before closing the door. If she spent one more minute thinking about this, her head would burst.

There was one person she wanted to speak to. She had to share this with someone.

The class was midway through when she arrived. Quietly, Ga Eul pushed open the door, not entering, but just looking.

"Welcome…" The words faded as the woman's eyes widened. "Class, please excuse me for awhile." Hurriedly wiping her hands with a damp cloth, she walked over to where Ga Eul was waiting. "Ga Eul-ssi?"

"Eun Jae seon-saeng-nim, I'm sorry to interrupt. But I need to speak to you." And just like that, her eyes welled up with hot tears that spilled down her cheeks.

Without hesitation, Eun Jae wrapped an arm around the younger girl and led her to the pantry. Sitting her down on one of the chairs, she poured a drink for her and pushed it into her hands. "Wait here. I'll dismiss the class."

………………………..

To his immense irritation, whoever was at the door would not stop ringing the bell. After fifteen minutes of pretending not to be in, Nishikado Akira stomped out of his room, fully intending to kick whoever it was away from the doorstep.

"Can a potter not work in piece?" he complained loudly even as he undid the bolt, leaving the latch on. "What do you want?"

Yi Jeong could see that his teacher was surprised to see him but the man didn't miss a beat, or the chance to bite his student's head off. "I need to talk to you."

"I'm working. Come back tomorrow."

The door was about to close. Before he knew what he was doing, Yi Jeong had thrust his hand into the space between the door and the wall.

"Are you crazy? That's the hand that just recovered!"

"Please. I have to talk to someone. And there's no one else but you."

"I'm flattered," Akira said dryly. But there was a quiet desperation about Yi Jeong that he had never seen before. "Fine, take your hand out of the way. You can come in. This had better be worth it."


	25. XXIII

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XXIII

"I'm sorry." Ga Eul managed to squeeze out her apology in between bouts of sobbing. Eun Jae patted her arm sympathetically and handed her another tissue. "I should have told you about him…Yi Jeong sunbae a long time ago."

"Why would you have to do that?"

Eun Jae's response surprised Ga Eul. "Because…because you shared your experiences with me and it was dishonest not to have let you know we were talking about the same person. I just wanted to know him more and I was afraid that if you knew, you would feel uncomfortable."

The older woman smiled. "I know a thing or two about how that feels actually. You know, I never told Yi Jeong that his hyung and I are dating. Besides, I had guessed that the friend you mentioned was Yi Jeong. Once you repeated that little saying that I had taught him…"

So that was how she had known. "Eun Jae seon-saeng-nim…"

Taking a sip of water from her mug, Eun Jae wrapped her fingers around it. "I won't deny that I had felt a little uncomfortable and maybe even a little jealous to know that he had started to move on. Yi Jeong was my first love, and given the way you had spoken about him, I'd guessed that the two of you shared some kind of friendship. I knew you were different; that's why I decided to help you as much as I could. Yi Jeong has never been friends with girls; they've only been fun puzzles to solve."

"Puzzles?"

"It's another story for another day. Ask him about it. Besides, knowing Yi Jeong, he probably took his fine time deciding whether or not he wanted to pursue you. He's always been so scared of sharing himself with someone else."

It was comforting to sit here in the tiny pantry with a woman whom she regarded as her teacher in more ways than one. And it helped to know she cared about Yi Jeong and knew him so well. Ga Eul nodded. "It took a year before I was sure of how he felt about me."

"But at least you know now. So I'm assuming the statement his publicist issued is false then."

"Yes," Ga Eul said absently. "I mean, no! I mean, part of it. I'm definitely not pregnant."

Eun Jae giggled and in spite of herself, Ga Eul laughed a little too. "I almost dropped a pot I had been working on when I heard the news at home. The next thing I knew, Il Hyun was calling me and asking me to turn on the television. We decided not to ask the both of you about it; it was a tough situation to be in without additional queries from anyone."

"Yes it was. Ji Hoo sunbae, Woo Bin sunbae and Jun Pyo sunbae helped us out a lot. I owe them all a huge favour. But Yi Jeong is now in trouble because of this."

Eun Jae's brows rose. "Is his father upset?"

"His grandfather. I just saw him this afternoon." The tears started again and Ga Eul blinked furiously, pressing the tissue against her eyes. "He told me that if I cared about Yi Jeong, I would advise him to leave me and agree to the arranged marriage."

"Arranged marriage?" Eun Jae was shocked. She recalled seeing little of Yi Jeong's grandfather but she had not liked him. The man always struck her as being cold and Il Hyun had no affection for him either, although he never spoke badly about his grandfather. He just chose to never speak about him at all. "Tell me what happened."

………………………

Yi Jeong tried not to fidget with his hands, holding them tightly together until he found himself repeatedly twiddling his thumbs and tapping them on the table surface. That had earned him a glare from his mentor and cowed him back into silence.

After that, he found himself tapping his feet. When that happened, he was relegated to incising patterns with strict orders to firstly, keep quiet, and secondly, to compose himself and figure out what he wanted to say. Apparently next to noise when he was working, Nishikado Akira despised long rambling conversations.

When he was finally finished with the last object, an incense burner, Yi Jeong looked up to find his mentor watching him with those faded amber eyes. "Feel calmer?" Akira asked smugly.

"Can I say no?" Yi Jeong half quipped but there was no heart in it. But the former was right; some of his anger had subsided and his thoughts were more focused.

"Not if you want my advice. What's the problem?"

"My grandfather wants me to get married."

"And like the smart girl she is, your girlfriend said no?"

Yi Jeong briefly contemplated throwing the bowls and vases at Akira. "It's not to her; it's to someone else."

Akira frowned. "Someone else?"

His heart felt so heavy just thinking about it. "It's not so much a marriage as it is a merger. Think of it as a business acquisition for my grandfather."

"I see. It's the way the elite maintain their status in society. Wouldn't it just be easier to work hard and smart?"

"I wouldn't do that to my children. She wouldn't even think of it either," Yi Jeong said softly.

"Since you obviously don't want to say 'yes' but are so troubled, I'm assuming your grandfather is not going to let you say 'no' easily either.

Picking up the incising tool, Yi Jeong pressed the cool metal tip against his palm. "He told my father that if I say no, he'll disinherit me and cut me out of the family in terms of finances and the museum. It will be impossible for me to pursue a career as an artist in Korea, or pretty much anywhere else in Asia actually."

"That sounds like your grandfather alright."

"You knew him? I thought you two had never met."

"Just because you didn't read or hear about anything doesn't mean it didn't happen. And no, I'm not telling you any stories. But he's very clever. Even if you didn't care about the family business or money, you still might have trouble being with your girlfriend if you can't even work in Korea."

That thought had occurred to him as well. Even if he wanted to give up everything for Ga Eul, it would be unfair to expect her to give up everything for him. She would have to move, especially if things between them became more serious. Did he want to ask that of her, that she leave her family and friends behind just for him?

"Have you thought about what it is you want?"

Yi Jeong sighed. "I don't want to leave her. But it will mean adjusting to an entirely different way of life, maybe even a different place. There will be so many changes. It might affect us too."

At least Yi Jeong was not naively love struck. Feelings could change, and something as potentially tumultuous as this, something that would cause that much upheaval would test their relationship. "Alright, let's say you agree to your grandfather's demands and marry this other girl. What will you do?"

"Take over the museum. Continue my career in producing pottery." Sleep with every woman that reminded him even vaguely of Ga Eul. Produce an heir and then see to it that his wife lived a life of material comforts to make up for the love he would refuse to give her. Perfect. He would become his father.

Akira wondered what thoughts were running through his student's head because the latter looked positively miserable. "Compare that to giving up everything for your girlfriend only to have the both of you go your separate ways."

If he and Ga Eul turned out not to be soulmates in the end… Yi Jeong felt like saying that was impossible, that as long as they worked at it, they would remain together. He would pursue her until she agreed to never leave him.

"What were you thinking about?"

"What?"

"Your last few thoughts. Quickly, I don't have all day to listen to you."

"It's not possible. We will work out. I'm not going to let her leave me."

"Interesting. So your concern is that she will leave you, not that you regret giving up the family fortune for her."

Before Yi Jeong could respond to that, Akira shot him another question. "Why didn't you give up pottery after your hand was injured?"

Because Ga Eul wouldn't let him. She had made him face a past failure, she had forced him to experience the bitter regret of loss. Once he knew how terrible it was to lose something because he had not fought for it, he had become determined never to feel that way again.

"She made me realise that I couldn't. I would regret it forever if I threw away my abilities, regardless of whether the injury had reduced my talent."

"And how did you feel when you thought you could never mould clay properly again?"

Life had lost its meaning. He had spent his days in a nightly haze of womanising and boozing.

"And now my last question. Which is more important to you, your art or your girlfriend?"

Of course it would be Ga Eul yang. "What kind of a question is that?"

Akira rolled his eyes, making it clear that he thought Yi Jeong was an idiot. "I know very little about the relationship you share with your girlfriend, so I cannot comment on that. What I do know is your relationship with your art. You can't breathe without it. You wouldn't allow me a moment's peace until I agreed to mentor you. This is the one great love in your life and I think I am right to say you cannot do without this. So I'm asking you, do you feel that way about her?"

Akira couldn't have used a more appropriate metaphor for his art. It was air, he needed it to exist purposefully. The only way he could go on without it was because of Ga Eul. Because she was his air too, more so than pottery.

"Well, you can sort your thoughts on the way out. I have some vessels to fire up now and I don't want you here disturbing me. Neither do I want to hear your confessions of love for her, spare me," he warned.

"I was about to say thank you," Yi Jeong said quietly as he got up.

"No need for that. Just make sure that you practice hard at producing top quality Celadon. If you don't, you can forget about leaving Sweden after next year."

Akira waited until he heard Yi Jeong push the door open before he spoke again. "Your grandfather is not asking that you give up only your girlfriend. I hope you understand what I mean."

For a long moment, Yi Jeong stared at his mentor, who was busy picking up various bowls and vases, and examining them carefully, deliberately refusing to look at his student. "I do. Thank you." And then he left, his heart still heavy but his mind clear. He had an answer for his father.

……………………

For the longest time, the two women sat together in silence.

"What do you want to do?" Eun Jae finally asked.

"I'm not sure. Yi Jeong is the one in trouble. His whole existence, all that he has ever known will be taken away if he does not agree to this marriage." She didn't know if she could bear the weight of that responsibility. And what if he gave it all up only to realise that he had made the wrong choice? What if the pressures of living like an ordinary person were too much for him? Ga Eul believed in soulmates but she also realised that love was subject to so many outside factors. It wasn't enough to just love each other sometimes.

"I didn't mean what you think you have to do for Yi Jeong. I'm asking what you want to do, for yourself."

Ga Eul stared at the cup. "I don't want to leave him. I'm selfish," she whispered, "but I cannot give him up willingly."

"Then don't."

"What?"

"Whether he wants to make the marriage or not, that is his decision. You cannot decide what will be better for him."

She'd never thought of it that way. "Is it really that simple?" All she had to know was what she wanted to do; the rest would depend on him.

Eun Jae reached over and squeezed Ga Eul's hand. "What is simple is not always easy. Right now, all you can do is wait and see what he says. And that is not easy. But you have to know clearly what it is that you want, now that such a situation is at hand."

Ga Eul wondered if she would blame Yi Jeong if he chose his family, career and status over her. Perhaps she would, however reasonable or unreasonable it might be. Perhaps the worst part would be the fact that she would still love him even if he gave her up. And if he chose to be with her, it might mean that she would have to give up everything for him. If he could not work here, he would have to live overseas. She would have to follow him eventually if they remained together. She'd never even been overseas on a holiday, apart from the ones that F4 dragged Jan Di and her on.

"I'm not sure…" Ga Eul murmured. Unconsciously, her hand went to the ring which hung on its chain beneath her blouse.

"Of course you cannot make up your mind just like that. Careful thought and time is needed. Go home and get some rest. If you need to talk, come by anytime."

The concern on Eun Jae's face touched Ga Eul. Although Jan Di would always be her best friend, Eun Jae was the wise older sister she had never had. "Thank you. And I'm sorry I interrupted your class."

"It doesn't matter, this is more important. I would like to tell Il Hyun about this though. He deserves to know and he won't interfere. More than you or I, he understands the messy politics in his family."

Eun Jae saw her to the door and Ga Eul was about to leave when she stopped. "I just remembered. Yi Jeong does know that you and his hyung are dating."

Eun Jae looked so surprised that Ga Eul wondered if she had done the right thing by revealing that detail. "He saw the two of you. That's what he said in his letter anyway."

So much for all those hours of planning and making contingency plans on top of that just in case Yi Jeong became upset. "It's just as well. At least now I can tell Il Hyun to stop stressing over this." Smiling, she tugged on the chain around her neck and pulled it out to reveal a simple but beautiful ring. A single diamond adorned the white band and Ga Eul knew it was a wedding ring. "Don't tell Yi Jeong, okay? We'll break the news to him and our families once things are more settled."

Ga Eul had just hugged Eun Jae and offered her congratulations when her phone started ringing. The colour fled from her face when she saw the number.

It was Yi Jeong.


	26. XXIV

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XXIV

Yi Jeong opened the door quietly. Leaving his butler to close and lock it, he very quickly and silently went up the stairs, praying that he would not run into his father. This was his house and he had been reduced to sneaking around just to avoid the man but this was not the time for indignation and injured pride. Those could wait for later; right now, he had more important things to do.

Such as how to explain this entire matter to Ga Eul without having her fall into a complete panic. Knowing Ga Eul, her first thoughts would be of him and how he would be affected by having all his privileges and present lifestyle withdrawn in retaliation for refusing this marriage. He wasn't sure if she would go so far as to urge him to give up on them, something he had absolutely no intention of doing in any case. However, it was imperative that he convince her that he had thought long and hard about the matter, that he was not being naively idealistic, and that he intended to stand by her no matter what occurred in the future.

Still, the thought of calling her terrified him. For once, he would have nothing to offer, not his famous family name, not the privileged lifestyle that came with it, not the never-ending funds that he had taken for granted as being part of his existence. And for once, none of these would be able to help him. What was more, accepting him would require her to give up her own lifestyle, the things she held dear, the world she was familiar with. She would have to trust him unconditionally; they would have to be fully committed to working things out.

Yi Jeong lay back on the bed, propping himself up with the pillows, staring at the phone in his hand. It was not impossible for him to have a career as an artist; he was already being hailed as the latest sensation in Europe. And he knew that Akira would lend him whatever support he needed; it was quite clear from his last statement that his crabby mentor was in favour of Yi Jeong standing up for himself. But he would not be able to base himself in Korea. If Ga Eul wanted to be with him, she would have to leave everything behind.

Why was it that he always had everything and nothing? A faint smile touched Yi Jeong's lips as he contemplated the paradox that was his life. As a Casanova he had all that he could hope for materially but he had been hollow inside. And now as Ga Eul's self professed soulmate, his heart was full but he was about to have all his wealth revoked. "Still, I'd choose you," he said softly, even though he knew she could not hear him. "I'd take you anytime over money or cars."

All that remained to be seen was if she still wanted him after knowing what it would cost. His heart slammed painfully into his ribs at the thought that she might reject him. He didn't want to pressure her; he had to make sure she didn't say yes because she felt guilty or responsible for him. But he couldn't bear to think of her telling him no either. He'd spent his whole life running away from rejection and hurt, and now he was compelled to make this call to a girl who meant more to him than anyone else.

After spending half an hour trying to calm his nerves, Yi Jeong decided to bite the bullet. Before he could hesitate again, he dialled her number, pressing the phone hard against his ear. The phone rang twice, and then Yi Jeong realised that he had an incoming call. Puzzled, he looked at the screen. 'Why is Ji Hoo calling?' he wondered.

……………………

Ga Eul stared at the ringing phone in her hands, panic stricken.

"Aren't you going to pick up?" Eun Jae asked quietly. "Even if you aren't ready, you should speak to him. Say you are outside and you'll talk to him later."

She wasn't worried about making excuses; she was worried that if she picked up and heard his voice, she would start crying. Or she would sound strange and he would figure out immediately that something was wrong.

Steeling herself, Ga Eul took a deep breath and pressed the receiver button. Only to find out that he had cancelled the call.

"Aish," she muttered, not sure if she felt more frustrated or relieved. "He stopped calling. I guess it's for the best; I need to go home and think things through."

Thanking Eun Jae one more time, Ga Eul left. As she sat on the bus, she found herself looking at the buildings, the people, the evening traffic rush as the vehicles crept slowly along the jam packed roads. She would miss this, if she left. Not to mention her parents, and even her grandmother. And Jan Di. Plus Woo Bin and Ji Hoo. What would she do overseas? Would she be comfortable living in Sweden or some other foreign land?

Yi Jeong had called himself her soulmate and she knew they shared a special intimacy but they had never been together, had not spent time getting used to each other as a couple. What if losing his former lifestyle took too much of a toll on him and subsequently their relationship?

Her head was full of so many questions that she was actually starting to get a headache. These were issues that she had to think through carefully. Yet, in spite of her fears, in spite of the very real problems that they would face, it hurt her heart to think of life without him. She loved his smile, she would gladly take his pain and bear it with him, she wanted to make him laugh, she wanted to be that shelter for him when he needed it. "Rich or poor, for better or worse," she murmured softly. If only she knew what was in his heart...

……………

Apparently Ji Hoo knew more about his alleged fiancée than he did. "No, it's okay. I don't want to know anymore," he muttered, trying to push down the intense dislike he felt for the anonymous girl. It was not rational although he understood why he would feel like this. "My father's here. He didn't say much about her but he talked to me about what would happen if I said no."

There was a moment of silence before Ji Hoo spoke again. "Are you going to say no?"

"Yes, I have to. My grandfather's the one behind all this and if I accede to him now, I might as well let him run my life. It's not just Ga Eul yang I will be giving up."

Ji Hoo did not want to ask for the specifics; that was not why he had called. "You know we'll support you, however we can. I need to tell you something else though. I think your grandfather spoke to Ga Eul this afternoon."

For a moment he could not understand what Yi Jeong was saying. And then a dreadful cold swept through him. He realised that he was clenching his hand so tightly that his flesh had turned white. "What?"

"She sent a text message to Jan Di, saying that she was going to your house to meet someone, probably your parents. Woo Bin and I found it a little strange and after some checking, we found out that your father was out of the country. Your mother would never arrange for a meeting. And that leaves only your grandfather. That's when we did more digging and found out the news about your engagement."

"Is she alright?"

"Woo Bin's men reported that she went to the Clayhouse. Your childhood friend Eun Jae was seen with her. And then she went home. She hasn't picked up any of Jan Di's calls or Woo Bin's."

No wonder she had not picked up his either. "I see. I should call her then. Thanks Ji Hoo ah."

"Let me know what happens." And with that, Ji Hoo ended the call.

Yi Jeong dropped the phone on the bed, stared unseeingly at the ceiling. All he could do was picture Ga Eul yang at the mercy of his grandfather. The man was a master manipulator, he used words to hurt people, he knew how to get under their skin. 'I should have warned her,' he thought bitterly. Instead, he had left her unprotected again. 'How am I going to look after her when I can't even handle my own family?'

Beside him, his phone buzzed once. Five minutes later, it buzzed again. Thinking it might be Woo Bin or even Jun Pyo, he picked it up and checked the messages.

**Sunbae, I couldn't pick up your call because I was outside. Sorry.**

**Actually, what I meant to say was, we need to talk. Please call me when you see this message.**

………………..

Ga Eul was pacing the room restlessly when the phone finally rang. "Answer it, answer it," she told herself sternly before hitting the receiver button. "Sunbae?"

"Ga Eul yang."

Tugging at some loose string on her skirt, Ga Eul waited nervously for Yi Jeong to say something. When it became clear that he wasn't going to, she decided to take the plunge instead. "I…I met your grandfather today."

"Yes I know, Ji Hoo told me."

"News gets around fast," she joked but it sounded flat and empty. "So what will you do?"

Her voice was so soft that he almost couldn't make out her question. "I want to know what you feel about all this. What did my grandfather tell you?"

"Everything. Some facts about your fiancée, what will happen if you agree to the marriage. It's quite a lot to take in."

Her tone was light but her voice quivered slightly and he knew she was holding back tears. "What do you want to do?"

"If you say yes, I'll never see you again. And if you say no, we'll both have to give up everything we know and love for a future that's not yet decided. We don't know if…if we will work out in the end. To tell you the truth, I'm scared."

Yi Jeong willed himself not to cry even though he could feel the familiar burn at the back of his eyes. He knew where this was going. "Ga Eul—"

"Let me finish please," Ga Eul cut in. Swallowing hard, she took a deep breath and forged on. "You once told me you don't do things just because you're obligated, especially when it comes to relationships. I hope you will abide by that now. If—if you have thought about the consequences carefully, and you still want us to be together, then we can be. Because I don't want to give you up."

And with those words, she stopped his world from crashing down around him. "Say that again," Yi Jeong asked softly.

"What?"

"That last sentence."

"Because I don't want to give you up." And then she started crying.

"Ga Eul yang, don't cry." He ached to put his arms around her, to tell her that it would be alright, that he loved her and that she was his air. "Sweetheart please don't cry."

"I can't help it," she sobbed, wiping away the tears even as fresh ones streamed down her cheeks. "You haven't even told me what your decision is."

"Don't you know already? I don't make promises I cannot keep." He looked down at the ring on his finger, the same ring that she wore around her neck.

"You mean…"

"I'm choosing you. I understand what the consequences are, I've been thinking about them all day. I also know what it means to give you up and I cannot do that. I don't deserve you, but now that you are here, I'll do everything I can to keep us together. If I lose you, I'll regret it forever."

Through her tears, she smiled. "Because when you find your soulmate…"

"…You hold on and never let go," he finished. "I'm not letting you go Chu Ga Eul. As long as you want me."

"I won't let go either So Yi Jeong. And I do want you, more than I can say."

Yi Jeong had always envisioned candlelight, dinner, and flowers when it came to this moment. More than anything else, he had always imagined that they would be together and that she would be in his arms. This was hardly ideal, but it felt completely right. "I love you."

"I love you." They could not have been further apart, separated by oceans and miles in between. At that moment, she felt closer to him than ever before.

"So, do you love me enough to give me four children?"

"Yi Jeong sunbae!"

…………………….

He'd hardly slept the night before. And he was going to get one hell of a phone bill at the end of the month. But his step was light and he felt safe. They had spent the night talking about the past, the present and the future. There were so many things he had to do, so many new plans to make.

His father was waiting in the hall; his bags had been packed and the car was waiting to take him to the airport. "So, what will it be then?"

Hyun Sub eyed his son. The latter looked tired and weary, but there was a clarity and assurance about Yi Jeong that had been missing ever since he had broken the news to him the day before.

"Please tell Haraboji that I will never agree to this marriage. He can go ahead and disinherit me. If he issues a press release of the engagement, my publicist will release one on my behalf saying there is a grave error and that I am not engaged to the lady in question."

"You are absolutely sure this is what you want?"

To Hyun Sub's surprise, his son shook his head. "No. If I had my way, our family would welcome Ga Eul yang with open arms. My grandfather would realise that it is wrong to ask that his son and grandson suffer because he wants to do what he thinks is right. My mother would be less miserable because her husband would realise she is as wronged as he is. But since that cannot be, I'll settle for what I can. I won't give her up. If I must, I'll use my status and trade that for her. I'm sorry that you had to make this wasted journey. Please have a safe flight home."

Hyun Sub was still staring after his son when the butler gently reminded him that he had to leave if he wanted to catch his flight. "Well, well," he murmured to the astonished man. "He might be less like me than I thought." Although the plane ride took more than seven hours, Hyun Sub did not sleep. For once, his son had said something worth thinking about.


	27. XXV

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XXV

Hyun Sub waited quietly for his father to respond to the news he had just given him. The old man was completely silent; there was no reaction. 'No visible reaction,' Hyun Sub corrected himself. Patiently, he continued to wait. Experience had taught him there was no way he was going to get away unscathed.

"You weren't able to talk him around?"

Finally, the accusation couched in the form of a question. What his father really meant was how on earth Hyun Sub had failed to control his rebellious offspring.

"I did everything you asked me to and more." That was not the complete truth but since Yi Jeong was in all probability never going to speak to his grandfather again, the latter would be none the wiser. Experience had also taught him that if it was possible, he should lie to his father.

"Fine, if he wants to throw everything away for that girl, then he will have to face the consequences. You will continue to be in charge of the museum, overall. Unfortunately, since both your sons have no interest in their family's welfare, it won't be passed down to them. I'll have to select one of my other grandchildren instead."

That was meant to hurt him but it barely registered. To his grief, Hyun Sub had learnt that the museum, along with his family's wealth, had stopped mattering years before. But it was too late to undo the choices he had made, no way to twist the fabric of time and go back to happiness. There was something he could do now though, for the son who had so wisely refused to follow in his footsteps.

"I understand. I'm assuming that you will be meeting with your lawyers tomorrow to draw up a new will?" A curt nod was the only answer he received. "It's completely up to you if you wish to disinherit Yi Jeong. He understands and accepts that."

A nerve jumped in the old man's cheek and Hyun Sub resisted the urge to smile. For once, his father was not going to be able to manipulate someone by dangling or threatening to withhold wealth and status. "However, I would like to request that should he decide to carve a career for himself in Korea, you will not attempt to undermine him."

"You should not ask for the impossible. I thought I taught you that a long time ago."

It was that amused tone, the condescension that always got under his skin no matter how he tried to make himself immune to it. "It's not impossible. All you have to do is give your word that you will leave him alone."

"This discussion is over." Hyun Seung glared at his son. "You are my eldest born and by far the most talented but do not think I will take any nonsense from you."

A sarcastic smile twisted Hyun Sub's lips. "I think you've already done your worst. But let's not digress. This request is not for Yi Jeong's sake, you know that between my sons, I reserve most of my dislike for him. This has to do with Chung Ae."

Hyun Seung had been about to order his son out of his office but the mention of his daughter-in-law stopped him. "Yes, what about her?"

"She's been attending her weekly therapy sessions and has been making good progress. However, she's still fragile and occasionally lapses into depression. I've been a good husband so far and have completely hidden my affairs from her, especially since she has no one left to send spying on me."

Hyun Sub enjoyed staring at his father's carefully composed face. His multiple affairs were an extremely sore point with the former and every chance he had, he rubbed it in his father's face. "If you prevent Yi Jeong from being able to return, Chung Ae is bound to find out. This news will drive her over the edge; she adores Yi Jeong. I have no idea why but he has always been her favourite. I spoke to Dr Lee and he affirmed this. Also, I'm told that she is constantly talking about Yi Jeong return to Korea."

"You will just have to deal with Chung Ae," Hyun Seung said gruffly. "It's your fault that she's become like this. I picked a well-bred socialite with a lineage that connects her and therefore us to the royal family, a woman who like you loved arts and had great talent and what do you do? You wasted her."

"I won't say I didn't. But then again, you should have known better than to convince her that I would eventually love her. You lied to her. And there is no simple way of 'dealing' with manic depressives with suicidal tendencies. If she does not manage to kill herself, she might very well need to be committed to an institution. You can imagine the talk that will make its way around our circles, not to mention the media attention."

That was his trump card and it had been well played. If anything, his father dreaded the proverbial loss of face more than anything else. Hyun Sub waited for a few minutes of silence to pass. When his father still remained quiet, he pressed his advantage. "Being cast out of the family and stripped of his inheritance will be a mark of shame that Yi Jeong will have to carry as long as he lives here. Let that be punishment enough. He should not be the cause of more trouble to us."

Hyun Seung stared at his son. "I take back what I said. Maybe I have taught you better than I thought I did."

"Like father like son," Hyun Sub replied smoothly.

There was nothing more to say and they both knew it. The repercussions of Chung Ae becoming seriously unhinged or suicidal again were too great. "I'll think about it." Hyun Seung waved a hand at his son, a sign that he should see himself out.

He had won. Hyun Sub muttered a curt good bye to his father and thankfully exited the office. Loosening his tie, he breathed in deeply and made a mental note to fax a short note to Yi Jeong to let him know that he could come back. "Who would have thought this could happen?" he mused. For once he had gotten the better of his father by using the wife that he had never wanted. And for whom but the son that he loved least. Just thinking about it made him want to reach for a drink. And since drinking alone was never much fun, he decided that he needed some company. Taking out his handphone, he scrolled down the current list of numbers that he had. Surely one of them would provide him with enough mindless entertainment for the night.

……………………

Yi Jeong opened his eyes slowly as the last vestiges of sleep dropped from him. A glance at the window showed that it was dark outside; apparently he had slept through dinner. After his father had left, he had called his friends and explained the situation to them. Then, he had paid a visit to Akira, who had surprisingly let him in, only to force Yi Jeong to help him apply glaze to several urns he was working on. When it became clear that fatigue was getting the better of him, Akira had sent him home with strict instructions to come back bright and early the next morning.

Lying there in the darkness, he wondered if his grandfather had already disinherited him. When he thought about it, some parts of yesterday seemed unreal. Today had passed in a hazy blur.

"If I lose you, I'll regret it forever," he mouthed softly to himself as he replayed his conversation with Ga Eul slowly, savouring every detail of the memory. It helped calm him down, kept him grounded in spite of the fact that in Korea, his grandfather was busy dismantling his life as he knew it.

When he finally crawled out of bed and got himself downstairs for dinner, he was handed a fax that came in. Yi Jeong read it. And then he read it again. A wave of mixed emotions swept through him and he gripped the banister. Just when he thought he knew his father…

"Sir?"

Yi Jeong realised that his butler was waiting for him to respond. "Yes?"

"I asked if you wanted dinner in the dining room."

"Send it upstairs please. I have something to work on."

Back in his room, Yi Jeong switched on the lights. Taking out another piece of paper, he opened his drawer and took out the photographs. He still remembered which ones he had intended to send to her.

Picking up his pen, he started to write.


	28. XXVI

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XXVI

The letters always arrive on important days. They are infrequent, but they always have been. The promises though, are always constant.

………………

She writes to him today. He is in some other part of Europe, she needs the address and will get it soon enough. He is taking part in another exhibition, the first time he showcases his celadon collection. Those works are not his first collection though. She glances at the tiny miniature eggs that she has placed on a special display rack that she bought just for those. Each is modelled after a Faberge egg. They all have her name inscribed amidst the patterns and pictures, each character carefully hidden, waiting to be discovered by her.

She writes to him when she hears from his friends what his grandfather has done. It is a semi-open secret in their society and she hates that he is not here to defend himself, that somewhere out there, people are gossiping about him and saying he is a fool to throw away a golden future. She feels it is purely wishful thinking on her part, but she wants to wrap him up with her words, cocoon him with her letters, and guard him from pain.

It is raining and the sky is powder grey. She opens the windows, smells the fresh, almost too sharp scent of rain. Outside, a car goes by and it happens to be that awful shade of orange that he likes so much. It reminds her of another time when an orange car was waiting at the road. Inside, it held the man who held her heart and did not yet know it. So she takes out a piece of paper and writes to exorcise the painful yearning that arises each time she sees something that reminds her of him. It will be one of the longest letters that she has written him.

She sends pictures as well. Her first batch of students as they graduate from Beginners' Class, her first pottery competition which she did not win but placed as fourth, Graduation Day as she finally dons her academic robes and says good-bye to Business and Economics forever. The classrooms she studies in as she works for her teaching degree in Art, a shot of her teacher because Yi Jeong wants to know how it is possible that there is someone on the planet who is better-looking than he is. A photo of the calendar which she uses to count the days until he comes home, each passing date adorned with a neat cross.

She tells him about her days, her weeks and sometimes, the months that have passed in silence that is broken by the arrival of a blue envelope. She tells him funny stories, writes down jokes that she's heard; sometimes they debate about politics (the letters fly fast and furious over the seas then). She lets him know why Woo Bin has become withdrawn: he's refused Jae Kyung's offer to visit her in the States and the both of them are broken-hearted. She describes lessons in class, her favourite students, having dinner with Eun Jae and Il Hyun. She does not ask him when he is coming back although it is the question that echoes most often in her mind.

And one day, several months into the fourth year, she receives another letter. It is short, less than half a page but it leaves her with a full heart. He says that she should not write to him anymore; he will come back soon.

………………………

Finally, after months of failure and perseverance, Akira has finally deigned to nod in gruff approval at a small sake bottle vessel that he has created. As he watches his teacher holding up the precious work that he has laboured so hard to perfect, all he can think about is how he wishes she could be here to see it as well. So he goes home, not to celebrate with that bottle of wine he has been saving for this special occasion, but instead to write. The moment may have passed but it is still possible to share it with her.

Today, a letter arrives from his father. Along with it comes his grandfather's will. Yi Jeong discovers what it means to be cut out thoroughly from the family fortune that once had been his and that pride can be thicker than blood. He wonders whether his peers know about this, and then dismisses the thought seconds after it arrives. A glance at the letter informs him that his father has sent his beloved sports car to his home, and that the salaries for the staff have been paid in full, up until the year of his return. Along with it is a short statement which assures him that he can return to Korea and find work there. Not for the first time does Yi Jeong puzzle over the man whom he hates and loves. So he writes it down and sends her his thoughts. She has no answers, but it is enough that she listens and knows.

It is the night of his exhibition, the first one featuring a celadon collection of works. For the first time, Akira is there. It helps to have his teacher nearby; it calms his nerves even though he has a quiet feeling that it will be a big success. And for a moment, in the crowd, he thinks he sees her and although logic dictates that it cannot possibly be, he is already moving forward. What stops him short is the realisation that it is not her, that it is merely a woman whose profile bears a striking resemblance to hers. He smiles politely, weaves his way through the crowd, trying to get away from his disappointment. The next day, he mails her a letter with photos of the exhibition.

He writes to her during lazy afternoons in cafes, his coffee cooling on the side. Sometimes he describes the towns and takes pictures of the different places his work brings him to. He finds himself noting down little incidents that amuse him: children dancing in a fountain with their little dog, young couples quarrelling, birds that come by the dozens when he tosses breadcrumbs at them. He tells her about the food and sometimes takes pictures of it; he knows how much she loves food. He does not tell her that he has promised himself that one day, he will bring her to all these places so that he can relive old moments and live new ones with her.

He times his letters such that they arrive on important dates. Graduation, application for a new course, the second week of classes so that she does not get too starry-eyed over her good-looking teacher. Birthdays are a given. He sends her tiny Faberge eggs with her name hidden in the patterns and amidst the colours. There are four in all, one for each season and the autumn egg is without a doubt the most beautiful one.

And one day, in his fourth year, Akira tells him that he can go back. He has learnt enough, and everything else that he needs to know can only come by experience and practice. Yi Jeong feels more than a pang at the thought of leaving. Akira sighs and warns him not to be a sentimental idiot. He also reminds him that the airfare from Korea to Sweden is not that expensive. Yi Jeong knows he will be missed too.

Several nights later, he writes to her.

_Ga Eul yang,_

_It's hard to believe that this will be the last letter that I will be writing to you. I don't know when I will be home when this reaches you, but don't reply to this. The next time we speak, I want it to be face to face._

_The thought of returning home excites me, yet I feel nervous as well. I think about my parents, and I wonder if my grandfather will keep to his word. I wonder how much my world there has changed. Sometimes I feel unprepared. _

_One would think that after four years, the remaining time I have here would pass by easily. That's not true. I've been dreaming about us. Sometimes I see you in my house, at times I imagine you are there in a crowd and I am trying to get to you. Even when I don't dream at night, it's hard to fall asleep. _

_Looking back, in a way, we have come full circle. It started with your letter, and now ends with mine. _

_I miss you more now that I know I'm going to meet you soon. Wait for me. I will come to you._

_Yi Jeong_


	29. XXVII

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XXVII

Ga Eul woke up bright and early that day. For a moment she lay still, her cheek pressed against the soft cotton of her pillow, eyes barely opened, still caught in half dreams of Yi Jeong coming back. As always, she felt a sharp pang and lingering disappointment when she realised he wasn't really there even though she could've sworn she had just heard his voice, so beloved and familiar, clearly.

With a soft sigh, she pulled herself from the bed and began to get ready. She had a full day of classes at the studio today, one of the rare days when she did not have to attend her own course classes. Her mind still on him, she absently pulled out a white dress and lavender belt, not the most practical of clothing especially since she was teaching the children how to mould clay later.

It had been more than a month since Yi Jeong's last letter and next week, it would be two full months. When was he coming back? Had something happened to delay him? Every day, she waited for some sign, another letter, maybe a message on her phone, a call. But there was nothing, only silence. She had to fight the urge to make contact with him somehow. "You have to trust him," she told herself every once in awhile. "Anyway, what's a few more days when you've waited for four years?" But Yi Jeong was right though and she knew it was her expectancy, her hope of seeing him soon that made even one day hard to bear. So she kept herself busy. She threw herself into her teaching and her studying. Jan Di was busy at medical school and at times, they would go out, though not as often as before. Sometimes Woo Bin met up with her, she had seen him with a new girl, someone tall, slim and gorgeous. Ga Eul was sure her bias for Jae Kyung was interfering with her judgement but the girl struck her as being brittle and cold. She wondered if the former knew that Woo Bin had moved on but since Jae Kyung never spoke about him in her emails, Ga Eul decided it would be wiser to avoid the topic altogether. She of all people knew what it was like to grapple with heartache.

She was standing at a traffic light, waiting for the green man and still mulling over the past, the present and the hopefully not too distant future when Yi Jeong came back when she looked up at the huge screen atop the a low building and froze. 'Gu Jun Pyo?' she thought, stunned as she recognised her best friend's soulmate and the richest man in the country. Since when had he returned? Did Jan Di know? Her first instinct was to send a message to her friend but she decided against it. It was their reunion, she would leave it up to Jun Pyo to inform Jan Di of his presence.

Ga Eul smiled wistfully. At least Jan Di's waiting was over. There had been occasional nights when the both of them would stay up for romantic movie marathons and inevitably end up bawling their eyes out over the men they were really missing. They both refused to confess though. At least Jan Di wouldn't be having anymore of those nights.

She started as she realised that people had started moving past her. Only then did the loud beeping of the green man register. Hurriedly, she dashed across the road, clutching her white shoulder bag. If she walked briskly, she would make it to class with half an hour to spare. And then the children would come in and she would be swept up in her lessons. For awhile, she would forget.

……………………

It was cold and dark, and even as he showered and dressed, he found himself looking around the room and house as never before. For four years this place had been his home. He had worked in the studio for the last few days, finishing up a final piece of work, a beautiful bowl incised with cranes and flowers. It was his way of thanking the couple who had allowed themselves to be persuaded into renting this lovely house to him.

His bags were waiting in the taxi that had been called and before he got in, Yi Jeong cast one last long look at the place before telling the driver to head for the airport. Although at times it had seemed like forever, four years had just gone by and he marvelled at how he was in the here and now, this moment of leaving and returning.

As he settled into his seat on the plane, he pulled his jacket closer around him and watched as Sweden became a rapidly disappearing bright green dot on the horizon. There was some uncertainty at leaving a country where he knew he would be free to do as he pleased, where he could pursue his art without any hindrance, where his work and not his family name mattered. Back in Korea, things would be the same and yet vastly different. He wondered whether his grandfather would abide by the promise that his father had somehow extracted from him, he thought about what it would be like to live in a place where the rich and powerful would know that he had been cast out of his family. But most of all, he thought of a certain young trainee Art teacher whom he knew would be in class at the time of his arrival.

To his surprise, Yi Jeong managed to sleep through most of the hours and when he awoke, the plane was less than two hours away from Seoul. He spent the time alternating between watching the movies, attempting to play the games, and fidgeting with impatience. When the captain told them they could begin to disembark, he fairly sprang out of his seat. It had been two years since he had seen Ga Eul, and he was eager to keep his promise to her. He wanted to tell her that he loved her, face to face. He wanted to hear her say it, to wrap his arms around her and feel her hold him close.

When he got to the arrival hall, Yi Jeong was surprised to see his family chauffeur waiting. And not only that, his precious car was there in the car park as well. "Please tell Master So I said thank you," Yi Jeong said quietly to the chauffeur as he instructed the man to send his luggage back to his own house. Hopping into the Lotus, Yi Jeong ran a quick hand over the leather and the dashboard. He had missed this car too.

He remembered the address, and he found his way there without any problems. As he pushed open the door, memories submerged him and he recalled standing behind Ga Eul, waiting patiently for her to find her keys, sitting with her, laying his head on her lap, feeling safe yet scared. Their first kiss, the peach scent of her hair, her skin against his as they clung to each other in the warm darkness.

He could hear the sound of high voices and slowly, he followed it, aware that his heart was starting to race even as he tried to keep himself calm, at least outwardly. And then he could see her, through the clear glass, pretty in white and pink as she rolled clay between her hands, singing a song to the boy next to her, surrounded by children in a room full of light. Yi Jeong's breath caught as he gazed at her, vaguely aware that he was moving towards the door, drawn by the sight of Ga Eul.

Pulling open the door gently, he stood in the doorway, wondering how it was that she could not feel his eyes on her, and slightly amused that none of the children knew he was there. They were all industriously absorbed in their task. The little boy was rolling what looked like a… come to think of it, he wasn't sure what it was actually.

"Is that a grape?" Ga Eul asked as she smiled at the child. The little boy nodded at her, a huge grin on his face.

It looked more like a misshapen marble but he was not about to offer that opinion. So instead of the student, he focused on the teacher. "You're still using too much pressure on your wrists."

Now that sounded familiar, in more ways than one. Whoever the visitor was, he sounded uncannily like Yi Jeong. She looked up, intending to welcome him. And then the automatic smile dropped from her face and the breath left her body as she realised that it was him. Shock sent her surging to her feet. "Yi Jeong sunbae!"

He didn't say anything, no apologies for showing up at her work unannounced. No flowery declarations, no romantic gestures. All he did was smile, and say very softly, "Hello." And just like that, he swept her off her feet.

She wanted to ask him why he hadn't warned her, why he had to show up now with all her children around her, when the only speaking they could do was with their eyes. Instead, she smiled, blinking back the moisture which stung her eyes.

_I've missed you. I can't believe you're back._

_I'm here now. And I'm staying. _

"Who is he? Is he your boyfriend?"

A cheeky voice interrupted their silent conversation and Yi Jeong realised it was the boy with the 'grape'. Ga Eul looked a little stunned and opened her mouth, but no reply came. They had never referred to each other in those terms. Truth be told, it sounded a little strange to him. She wasn't the girlfriend; she was just Ga Eul yang and she was his.

"Ajjushi, are you from abroad?" A very plucky little girl was speaking to him directly and Yi Jeong pulled his gaze from Ga Eul.

"Well, how did you know?"

"Hmmm, from Sweden?"

Someone had been speaking to her students about him. It was a little absurd but it pleased him to know that she had talked about him to them.

"You're a very smart little lady."

Her eyes crinkled as she grinned and clapped her hands together. "So you're the one! Seon-saeng-nim mentioned that her boyfriend was in Sweden."

Ga Eul was still mulling over how to answer Sang Min's question when to her horror, she heard Hyun Jung blurt out that last sentence. Too late, she reached for the girl and pulled her close, a hand half over her mouth.

"That was supposed to be a secret!" All Hyun Jung did was giggle into her hand, as did the others. Ga Eul bit her lip, shooting sheepish looks at Yi Jeong as her face burned with embarrassment. 'Oh my God, he must think I blab everything to the children!' She couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye.

"I guess you could call me her boyfriend."

Ga Eul's eyes widened and she looked over at Yi Jeong.

"But we prefer to use the term 'soulmate'."

"Yi Jeong sunbae…"

Ga Eul's soft whisper was drowned out by a chorus of questions that all echoed the same questions: What was a soulmate? Would he explain? How about coming in? Seon-saeng-nim could teach him how to make pottery while he told it to them. What was Sweden like?

"Well, are you willing to teach me about pottery?" Yi Jeong asked Ga Eul, biting back a grin as he allowed several pairs of tiny hands to pull him into the classroom.

"Luckily for you, this is a Beginner's Class. You've come to the right place," she replied, tongue firmly in cheek.

Yi Jeong swallowed his laughter and mouthed the words, "I'll get you later." For now though, he was content to answer the children's questions and teach them how to mould a proper grape.

………………………..

"Bye Seon-saeng-nim! Bye Mr So!"

Ga Eul and Yi Jeong waved as her last student left the room. Once the child was safely out of view, Ga Eul turned to Yi Jeong. "My next class starts in fifteen minutes," she said regretfully. "I didn't know you were coming back—"

She stopped as he touched a gentle finger to her lips. "I wanted to surprise you. It was my choice. So, did it work?"

"Y-yes." She hated the quiver in her voice but it was a little hard to answer when he was tracing her jaw line with his thumb.

"I kept my promise," he murmured, stepping closer as he slipped an arm around her waist.

"I never doubted that you would," she whispered. "So, are you going to kiss me? Because I'm dying to kiss you."

"Anything for my soulmate."

Then his lips were pressed against hers, and she needed no urging to open her mouth for him. He groaned softly as she clutched his jacket, her hands fisting in the material as she tried to pull him even closer. He was jetlagged, tired and had just co-taught a pottery class with her and still she could set him on fire with just a kiss. She was so sweet, he wanted to claim all of her.

Yi Jeong was in the process of backing her up against a wall when they both heard it at the same time. "Yay! I got here before you! Seon-saeng-nim said first one to class gets a sweet."

Ga Eul turned her head, breaking the kiss even as Yi Jeong pulled away from her. They were both panting hard and she wiped her mouth, trying to slow her breathing even as the sound of running footsteps echoed along the corridor outside.

"And you want four kids," she muttered. He looked so surprised that she laughed. And then he started to chuckle.

"Why stop at four? I'll make sure you have lots of fun making babies with me."

"Yi Jeong sunbae! You—"

Ga Eul was about to swat him when the children burst through the doors. That saved him.

"Eh? Seon-saeng-nim, who is this ajjuishi?"

"This is an old friend who was just leaving," Ga Eul said, ushering them to their seats as she shot Yi Jeong a meaningful look.

"I'll call you later. Think about what I said. I know I'll be." Yi Jeong grinned as Ga Eul's face turned red and she made a shooing gesture at him.

He had just gotten into the car when Woo Bin's message came in. Jun Pyo was back and he was on his way to see Jan Di. It had been three years since he had last seen them and Yi Jeong found himself looking forward to meeting them again. Time had not diminished their ties to each other. And he would be seeing Ga Eul later again tonight.

It was good to be home.


	30. XXVIII

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XXVIII

As events turned out, he didn't have to call Ga Eul or arrange to meet her. She came to meet them at Jun Pyo's place for an impromptu celebration of both their best friends' engagement. Yi Jeong was happy for them, but he kept a close eye on Ji Hoo who seemed fine. 'Perhaps now he can move on and find someone else,' Yi Jeong thought, feeling a wave of empathy for the white knight of the group. Ji Hoo was gentle, compassionate, good-looking and at the end of the day, far more honourable than Yi Jeong had expected. He more than deserved to find a love of his own.

Woo Bin too looked wistful occasionally as Jun Pyo and Jan Di squabbled affectionately with each other over where to hold the wedding. Jan Di wanted it here in Korea, Jun Pyo wanted the wedding to be held in Scotland; he had seen a medieval castle there and fallen in love with it at first sight. And in true Jun Pyo style, he had purchased it. Yi Jeong knew that Woo Bin had a new girl but he knew that Woo Bin still had a big soft spot for Jae Kyung. Sometime soon, he would talk to him about what happened.

Next to him, Ga Eul was nibbling on some éclairs. "These are delicious," she sighed before realising that he was looking at her. "I like food," she mumbled.

"I know you do. Why do you think I took all those pictures and sent them to you?" he replied softly. His arm was stretched out across the back of her chair and he longed to slip it around her shoulders. Ga Eul however would not be comfortable with such a public, at least her version of public, affection; she hadn't even allowed him to kiss her just now, opting to give him a quick hug before she scooted off to Jan Di, effectively ending his attempts to be affectionate.

"I know, thank you," she said quietly before holding out an éclair to him. He took it from her, enjoying the brush of her fingertips against his. If no one else had been here, he would have asked her to feed it to him and then lick her fingers until she melted into her chair. 'Stop, stop it,' Yi Jeong warned himself. Things would get uncomfortable if he continued thinking about it and he had already chucked his dinner napkin onto the table. If he put it back on his lap, the other three—okay, maybe not Jun Pyo—the other two would immediately know what was going on and he would never hear the end of it.

Yi Jeong had a slightly faraway look, he didn't realise she was offering him another éclair. "Sunbae? What are you thinking about?"

He looked startled and coughed slightly before taking the pastry from her. "Nothing really. Just that one day, we should go to those places together so that you can experience the types of cuisine that they have to offer."

"Oh." She really should be thanking him for his offer but at the moment, all she could think about was travelling alone with Yi Jeong. Specifically, she was wondering about accommodation. Twin rooms, single rooms one bed, single rooms with two beds. If she had her way, she would have liked to cuddle with him in the same bed. 'Stop it, stop it. You cannot be thinking about sleeping with him in the same bed.'

"Ga Eul yang? You don't want to?"

"No! I do. I would very much like to. Go on a holiday with you that is," she blurted out before realising that he could not possibly know what she had been thinking about. "Thank you sunbae."

He knew she didn't want any displays but he couldn't help it. Before she realised what he was doing, he leaned forward and dropped a quick kiss on her cheek. She blushed and looked down. Across the table, the other three hooted at them. Jan Di merely smiled and jabbed Jun Pyo in the side, telling him to be quiet.

"So, when's it gonna be your turn?" Woo Bin raised his glass at Yi Jeong who shot him a mock glare.

"I just got back today. Cut a guy some slack," Yi Jeong muttered.

"If anyone should be given some slack it's Ga Eul. After all, she's been branded Casanova's wife/girlfriend on public television and had the country speculating about whether you'd gotten her pregnant. You should make it up to her soon."

"Ji Hoo sunbae!"

"Not to mention that between us, Jun Hee and I practically bound and gagged the media concerning this matter. You owe us Yi Jeong. Time to hang up your Casanova identity and become a respectable married man, like me," Jun Pyo smirked.

Ga Eul wished the floor would open up and swallow her. She had expected some teasing but not about marriage! And then she felt Yi Jeong's hand over her cold ones, his fingers tightening protectively.

"Firstly, I've sent Casanova into retirement a long time ago. Secondly, I'm not getting married simply to repay you three for your favours, however grateful I am for them. Thirdly, as for marriage, that's between Ga Eul and me. And that is the end of this conversation."

Woo Bin sighed dramatically. "Look at him, all grown up." And then he dodged as Yi Jeong threw an éclair at him. "Maybe I spoke too soon."

"If you boys are finished teasing them, maybe we could go to the hall. Apparently Jun Pyo has made a recording of the castle and he wants us to have a look at it."

"And after that we'll take a vote. If majority like the castle, then we'll have it there."

"Yah! Gu Jun Pyo, this is not some board meeting. The decision is for you and me to make!"

"I wonder how the rest of the wedding planning will go," Woo Bin said to Ji Hoo as they followed Jun Pyo and Jan Di.

"I'm betting there will be fireworks, of all kinds."

……………………..

It was close to ten o'clock when Yi Jeong's car pulled up outside Ga Eul's house. "I've got classes in the morning and early afternoon but I'll call you once I'm done?"

"That's fine. I'm going to see my mother tomorrow morning." Yi Jeong smiled at the concern in her lovely eyes. "Don't worry. My mother is much better now. The weekly therapy sessions have helped a lot and I hear that she's started painting again. She had an exhibition once, before she got married. After that she gave it all up to look after her family."

Ga Eul lifted a hand and touched his cheek gently. "Let me know how everything goes?"

"I'll send you a message, promise. Now, aren't you going to thank me for the lift?"

"Aren't we demanding this evening?" Ga Eul retorted but she saw the mischief in his eyes. "Will a simple thank you suffice?"

"I'll tie you up with the seatbelt if you think that'll let you off the hook."

"Mmm, how about a hug?" She unbuckled her seatbelt, watching as Yi Jeong lifted his eyebrows, fairly daring her to try and make a break for it.

"Warmer, but not exactly what I have in mind."

"You know, they say a kiss is just a kiss."

"Not when it's a kiss from you," he said solemnly. "Now come here Ga Eul yang."

He didn't have to ask twice. She leaned over, her hands sliding up to his shoulders even as his arm went around her waist and his other hand cupped her cheek. Gently, he rubbed his nose against hers, eliciting a soft laugh which he promptly silenced as he kissed her.

When they finally came up for air, he held her close, feeling her heart beat against him. "That was some thanks," he said huskily.

"Call it the Soulmate Special," Ga Eul quipped, trying to catch her breath. She buried her face against his neck, inhaling the smell of his cologne. She loved everything about him, she wanted to keep touching him to assure herself he was here. "Reserved only for So Yi Jeong."

"It had better be. If not, I'll get Woo Bin to help me bury the body."

She giggled and was about to reply when her handphone rang. "Ah? Who could that be?" She looked at the screen and her eyes widened before she hurriedly picked up the call. "Yes? What? No, it's quite late though. Can this wait another time? No. Okay, alright. Bye."

Ga Eul turned to Yi Jeong, her eyes wide and apprehensive. "That was my mother. Apparently she was in my room to get a movie when she looked out, saw your car and figured that you were back."

"And?" Yi Jeong prompted when Ga Eul went quiet.

"She and my father are sitting in the hall right now. They want to meet you."

Yi Jeong's mouth dropped open. "You've got to be kidding."

…………………….

"Done in by Stairway to Heaven, whatever that is," Yi Jeong muttered as Ga Eul fumbled with her keys. "How do I look?"

He looked so worried that if she hadn't been as worried, she would have told him that he looked adorable. He looked a little like a nervous schoolboy on his first day of school and he kept tugging on his tie and jacket. "Sunbae, if you tighten your tie anymore, you're going to be blue in the face when you meet them. Stop fidgeting."

"I'm not prepared! I meant to buy Godiva chocolates for your mother and …and cigars or something for your father."

Ga Eul smiled to herself, touched that he had been preparing in advance for the meeting even though it was only his first day back home. "My father hates smoking," Ga Eul said as she finally got the key into the lock. "And he doesn't drink either."

"So what does he like then?"

"Books. He gets it from Halmoni. He adores rare editions and he has a small collection he built over the years." She turned to Yi Jeong, loosened his tie and smoothed his hair. "Don't worry, my father doesn't own a gun so you shouldn't fear for your life. They just want to meet you in person, that's all. And you look great, almost as handsome as my teacher."

"Chu Ga Eul, you—" Yi Jeong shut his mouth as Ga Eul pushed open the door. He would get her for that later. For now, he had to walk the parental plank. Hopefully, he would not be asked to jump off.

She led him down the narrow passageway which opened up into a hall. It was a nice home but the only thing that Yi Jeong could look at was the couple who were standing near the sofa. Ga Eul certainly resembled her mother, but she had inherited her beautiful hair from her father. Come to think of it, Mr Chu looked extraordinarily young for a man who would at least be in his late forties.

"Good evening, Mr and Mrs Chu. I'm Yi Jeong," he greeted dutifully, bowing low to show his respect. "It's an honour to finally meet you both."

"Oh no, the pleasure is ours. Please have a seat. Ga Eul ah, could you get us some drinks please?" her mother said.

'One down, one more to go,' Ga Eul thought gleefully as she nodded and left a nervous looking Yi Jeong at the tender mercies of her father. Based on that star-struck look on her mother's face when she had seen Yi Jeong, Ga Eul was sure that her Omma would go easy on him. 'She always was a sucker for a handsome face.' Unfortunately, her Appa knew that and would be likely to come down harder on Yi Jeong because he knew his wife would have deserted him in that respect.

Yi Jeong looked longingly at Ga Eul as she left for the kitchen. Taking a seat, he forced himself to look as relaxed as he could. "I apologise for not bringing any gifts. I was going to, after asking Ga Eul when would be a good time to meet you."

"Don't worry about it Yi Jeong. We just wanted to meet you as soon as possible since we've heard so much about you."

Mr Chu looked kind but that smile had a no nonsense firmness to it. 'Heard so much about my Casanova days, you mean. And saw it on the news that I might have impregnated your daughter without marrying her. Where is Ga Eul?' Since she was nowhere in sight, Yi Jeong decided he was on his own. "I don't think much of it was good, especially if it was because of the news. I apologise as well for any inconvenience the situation caused."

"Now now, we know that it's not your fault. Ga Eul's grandmother explained what you had done for her and we guess that someone involved in the planning had spoken to the press. I thought you were very sweet to send her and her best friend on a holiday. My mother-in-law hasn't been that happy in a long time."

Yi Jeong smiled gratefully at Mrs Chu. At least she was on his side.

'Yi Jeong, I'm a straightforward person and there is something that Mrs Chu and I would like to ask you. Are you serious about our daughter?"

"Yobo, maybe now is not the best time—" A gentle pat on the hand from her husband stopped Mrs Chu.

"If Yi Jeong is serious about Ga Eul, he shouldn't mind us asking. After all, if we as parents don't look out for her, who will?"

If—not if—when he married Ga Eul, they would be his parents too. That realisation suddenly dawned on Yi Jeong. As much as he loved his mother and father in his own way, they had never been stable influences in his life. Mr and Mrs Chu would be different. Even though they weren't openly affectionate, there were small signs that indicated how at ease they were with each other. The way Mrs Chu looked at her husband sometimes when she was speaking to see what his reaction was, the gentleness with which Mr Chu treated his wife, the way they sat slightly inclined towards each other.

He wanted them to like him, and not just because they were Ga Eul's parents. "Mr Chu, I assure you that I'm completely serious about Ga Eul. I've never met anyone like her…she's taught me so much. I have a colourful past, if I may be allowed to put it that way, but she's changed all that. I treasure her very much and I'll do everything I can to make her happy. Time will show that my intentions towards her are sincere."

"Omma, Appa, the drinks are ready."

Yi Jeong froze, wondering if Ga Eul had overheard what he had said. She seemed fine though as she served the coffee and sat back down beside him. He wanted to hold her hand but decided not to since her father might take offense at that.

"So, what have you been talking about?"

"Just getting to know him, that's all Ga Eul," her father answered smoothly. "I'll hold you to your word then Yi Jeong."

Yi Jeong nodded, relieved that he had passed the test, for now. There would be plenty of time for him to show that he intended to keep his promise. Sitting safely in a locked compartment of his hand luggage was a small velvet box with something very special inside that he had brought back from Sweden. Something he fully intended to give to Ga Eul when the time was right.

………………

"So, did I pass?" Yi Jeong asked anxiously as Ga Eul walked him to the gate.

"I think they liked you. My father didn't ask uncomfortable questions I hope." She had meant to rescue him sooner but she couldn't find the coffee powder and half suspected her mother had moved it from its usual place to buy them more time alone with him.

"Well, he did ask me if I was serious about you. But it's a fair question and I would have been surprised if he hadn't."

"Defending him are we?" she teased before turning serious. "I haven't told them about what happened with your grandfather. I was going to, before setting a date for meeting them. I'll let them know tomorrow."

"I like them," Yi Jeong said quietly. "I wish my parents had been a bit more like that. Could you ask when would be a good time for me to visit them next week? I'll bring the gifts this time."

"You and my mother are going to get along famously I think. She asked me just now to invite you over for dinner next Friday, if you can make it. She's cooking daeji bulgogi and soy honey chicken. She's famous in our family for those dishes."

"Wild horses couldn't keep me away. I'll bring dessert."

"More éclairs?" Ga Eul asked hopefully.

"Mango mousse and almond sponge cakes. I'll bring some éclairs for you."

He chucked her affectionately under the chin before pulling her into his arms, hugging her tightly. It was amazing, how much he loved her, she was everything.

When they finally parted reluctantly, Yi Jeong gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek, just in case two pairs of eyes were watching from behind the curtains. Ga Eul waited until she saw his car disappear from sight before she locked the gate and went back to the house.

She was already counting down the hours until she could see him again.


	31. XXIX

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XXIX

Yi Jeong couldn't help but recall the last time he had been here. He could see it all again, could hear it, clearly, as though it was happening again in front of him.

He gripped the curve of the door handle, shook his head slightly. No, it wouldn't be like that. Not after what the doctors had told him. At the same time, they couldn't guarantee that the mere sight of him would trigger a recurring desire in his mother, the same self destructive desires that caused her to wound herself repeatedly with the knowledge of her husband's infidelity, brought to her by their child. But whatever her reaction, he would open that door and walk into that room. He would see her. She was his mother, and he still loved her, even if it had been from a distance from many years now.

For a second he remembered Ga Eul's concern, and his calm assurance that everything would be alright. And with that in mind, he pushed down on the handle and let himself in.

"Mother?"

The bed was in pristine condition, the sheets perfectly smooth and untouched. The curtains were still semi drawn and the vases were still made of plastic. There was only one thing missing. She was not there. Puzzled, Yi Jeong was about to call out again when the butler greeted him from behind, causing him to jump slightly.

"Sir, Madam is still in the art room. She would like me to bring you there."

"Art room? We don't have an art room," Yi Jeong said, feeling a little bewildered as he followed the butler.

"Madam says she will answer your questions Sir. This way please."

The last he remembered, these rooms had been guestrooms for overnight entertaining. But the smell of paint was unmistakable and as the butler held open the door for him, he walked inside.

She stood with her back partially to him, dressed in a simple black shirt and pants. She wore soft house slippers on her feet, her hair pulled into a neat bun. She was still painting, bent slightly over a corner of her canvas, and perfectly quiet.

Yi Jeong waited where he was. More than anyone else, he understood the need to give an artist the time to focus on their work, especially when they were caught in the grip of that process.

He had never seen her with a brush in her hand before. As a child he had seen her paintings and thought them beautiful simply because she had painted them. As an adult, he could assess her work with a more discerning eye and although her works would never be considered masterpieces, they revealed an artist with an interesting perspective, with potential.

There had been massive changes to the rooms. For one thing, they were now one huge room. The furniture had been moved to the other end, far away from the paint. It was simple, a floor to ceiling bookcase which he could guess were filled with art books, renaissance styled chairs and a medium seized round table with ornate legs. There were refreshments on the table, a pot of what he hoped was coffee and some muffins. There were bay windows now, tall and wide to let in as much sunlight as possible.

Finally, she finished. Wiping her hands quickly, she turned around. "Welcome back," she said, smiling at him as she held out her arms. He went to her and gave her a quick hug. To his surprise, she let go of him first. She was hesitant, he realised, somewhat unsure of what to do. Maybe the mother he had known was finally back.

"The doctors told me that you had started painting again." He motioned at the canvas, admiring the soft yet clear waves she had created.

"This is just for relaxation, and also part of the therapy. It's nothing like what I used to make before," she shrugged, her expression wry yet sad.

"You feel better though?"

"I feel good. Would you like some coffee? I made those muffins."

What she meant was she felt freer. The sea was beautiful but not completely calm, and the island looked uninhabited, just a bare stretch of beach. The stallion was running along the shoreline, and next to it was the faint silhouette of a phantom horse. Free and beautiful and perhaps lonely, he thought, feeling a little guilty that he had stayed away from her for two years.

They spoke at length about what he had done in Sweden, his teacher—who amused her greatly—and also about his future plans. And then his mother asked a question that he least expected. "So, when am I going to meet her?"

Yi Jeong almost choked on his muffin and had to swallow some coffee, which nearly scalded his tongue. "How did you know?"

His mother daintily sipped her tea but her eyes were alight with mischief. It was a little strange, to see her so normal, but it was something he looked forward to getting used to.

"Your father told me. He had to, because of what your grandfather intended to do. I approve of your decision. Now all that's left is for me is to get to know her."

"Her name is Chu Ga Eul. She has a degree in—"

"I already know all that."

"You snooped!"

"Correction, it's called a mother's prerogative. So, when am I going to meet her?"

"I'll see if we can arrange something next week," Yi Jeong muttered, feeling a little like a teenager whose mother had found out that he had secretly been having a girlfriend. "So how is everything?"

"If you mean between your father and I, it's still the same. He's just more discreet." Although she kept her expression carefully neutral, her voice gave away her frustration and sadness. But she was still in control of herself. "But I have been meeting with my lawyers, and I have made some changes to my finances."

"Your finances? Is something wrong?" Although his father was extremely unfaithful, he had never left his mother wanting financially.

"I'm doing it to rectify something I perceive to be wrong. Your grandfather has cut you off in all but name from this family for making your own decisions. I'm glad you did not… let history repeat itself." She took a moment to collect herself before forging on. "You know that my father left almost everything to me, since I was his only child. I've decided to give you your inheritance early. By next week, you would have received half of what he left to me. That includes houses, a yacht and some jewellery that has been in our family for generations."

He didn't know what to say. Her words had stunned him. "Mother, you don't have to…"

"I've already made my decision. It's not as much as whatever you would have received as a So heir. But it should keep you and Ga Eul, if you should marry, comfortably. I want you to concentrate on your art; you have the potential to be great. Don't throw it away like I did."

There were tears in her eyes and before he knew it, Yi Jeong was out of his chair, kneeling beside her and hugging her tightly.

"My poor boy," she whispered, holding him closely as she smoothed his hair down in a familiar gesture. "I haven't been a good mother at all. I've been away from you for so long."

He knelt there in her arms until his knees ached but he didn't care. His mother was back for good. He could never be five again, and the years that had gone by could never be recovered. But they had many more years, a future that could replace and remove the pain of the past.

"Do you still make pancakes?" he asked quietly.

"Yes. Would you like some?"

He nodded and felt her smile. "I'll need an assistant."

"Ga Eul tried to get me to help her."

"I hope you didn't wash the rice with soap again."

"Mother!"

………………

Ga Eul had placed her handphone under the table and was checking it for a message when it finally rewarded her by buzzing in her palm. Slipping it carefully into her pocket, she excused herself from class and going to the restroom, locked herself in a cubicle and checked the message eagerly. As expected, it was from Yi Jeong.

**Ga Eul yang, everything is alright. My mother is fine. We're making pancakes. **

Letting out a relieved sigh, Ga Eul closed her eyes and gave silent thanks that her prayers had been answered. She had hardly learnt anything that morning; all she had thought about was Yi Jeong and whether he would be okay.

**That's great. Tell me about it tonight?**

Five minutes later, she had his reply.

**I'm having dinner with her. I'll come by after to see you though? I have something to tell you.**

**Can't wait. Do I get pancakes too?**

**Heart-shaped ones. I'll even throw in one with Mickey Mouse ears.**

Mickey Mouse ears indeed, he probably would be getting some maternal assistance with that one. With a soft chuckle, she stuffed her phone back into her pocket and headed for class. As far as she was concerned, everything was better than fine. And for the first time that morning, she could concentrate in class.


	32. XXX

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

**Story Notes:** _Okay, some explanations are in order. As much as I loved the BoF After Story, the time sequence puzzled me. It seems to all happen in the same day, and yet after leaving, YJ and JP are back to celebrate WB's birthday and it's nightfall by then._

_Hence, I worked out my own take on the events. The celebration takes place before JP leaves and I've added JH's presence. But pretty much everything is the same when it comes to YJ's scenes. ^_^_

LOVE LETTER

XXX

Yi Jeong slumped into his chair, thoroughly exhausted but incredibly happy. He had just finished his first solo exhibition and after a week, ninety percent of his works had been snapped up, a stunning accomplishment for any potter.

Catching sight of his reflection in one of the glass cabinets, he noticed the dark circles under his eyes. He needed a good night's sleep and some relaxation. Maybe in a few days' time he would call up his friends and catch up with them. It had been a full year since his return to Korea and the past few months had been spent liaising with art galleries, planning for the recently concluded exhibition and getting reacquainted with the art scene.

True to his word, his grandfather had not done anything to get in his way although it would be a cold day in hell before his works ever appeared in the family museum again. As always, he felt a tinge of sadness at never setting foot into the museum he used to play around in as a child. But he could live with it; he had been more than blessed and was grateful for every day he had on this earth. His mother was well, she was currently visiting Ga Eul's grandmother who adored her after they had met during last year's New Year gathering, Ga Eul had just graduated second in her class and had found work at a prestigious primary school, Jun Pyo and Jan Di's wedding was taking place in a fortnight's time.

He wanted to call Ga Eul and share the good news with her but he knew that she would be in class. He would be going to pick her up though and they would be having dinner with her parents before going out for a movie. Maybe tonight would be a good night… Walking over to the small safe he kept in the room, Yi Jeong keyed in the combination and withdrew a small dark red box from it. Gently, he opened the lid and looked down at the two rings inside. One was a beautiful emerald cut solitaire set in platinum. Like the woman he loved, it was simple but classic and breathtaking. The other was a ring he had bought in Sweden just two months before he had left. It had been a tiny jewellery store, run by an Irish couple and he had gone in by accident, thinking it was an art shop. Somehow or other the proprietor and his wife had began chatting with him and before he knew it, he was looking at Irish wedding bands. One caught his eye, a Lovers' Weave Ring which symbolised that the couple would be together for eternity. It was made of white gold and in between the weave of the bands, there were tiny round diamonds. He had bought a set, and had not said a word to anyone, not even his mother. Yi Jeong had never been superstitious but this was one event he did not want to jinx.

For the past few weeks he had been thinking about how to propose. On nights when they snuggled together on the couch or even in his bed, he had caught himself several times before he blurted out a proposal. Sometimes she would squeeze his hand and give him a kiss on the cheek in public when she thought no one was looking and it was all he could do to stop himself from saying, "Marry me."

And this time, there was no one to ask for advice! He was not going to ask Jun Pyo; it was a miracle that the latter had successfully carried out his own proposal. Woo Bin's girlfriend had just left him after accusing him of giving her kindness instead of love, something that had been painfully obvious to his three best friends. Ji Hoo probably would have some great ideas but he would only ask him as a last resort. He was an artist for God's sake; he was supposed to be creative. Surely he could think of a way to propose to the woman he loved.

"Not tonight," Yi Jeong muttered as he placed the box back in the safe. He would think of something while pretending to watch the movie later. In the meantime, he had to shower and get some coffee into his system.

………………

"You sure you're not going to join us?"

Yi Jeong could tell that Ji Hoo and Woo Bin wanted his company but he had something in mind. "I've got something to do," he said with an apologetic smile. "I'll meet you guys tomorrow?" Hopefully he would have good news to tell them then.

Yi Jeong fought the urge to fidget or avoid their eyes as his friends stared at him suspiciously. "You're up to something," Ji Hoo declared.

"Something that he is trying to keep from us," Woo Bin added, leaning against the door.

"You know, Yi Jeong has seemed a little preoccupied lately," Ji Hoo continued.

"It reminds me a little of Jun Pyo's preoccupation with his wedding preparations."

"Operation Special Date?"

They dissolved into snickers as Yi Jeong sighed impatiently and stared pointedly at the door behind them, making it clear he wanted them to leave. "Fine, we get the message." Woo Bin raised his hands and backed docilely out the door that Ji Hoo held open. "Just remember bro, girls like flowers and romantic poetry when you propose to them." And then they hightailed it before he could say anything.

Was he that transparent? But then again, these were his very best friends since childhood and they knew him almost better than anyone else. In spite of their ragging, it had been great to meet up with them again. Woo Bin's message had been unexpected and his location even more so. But Yi Jeong understood the nostalgia that had come over Woo Bin, especially since the latter's birthday was days away. As working adults, their lives had diverged, and it was not so easy to meet up with each other now. In some aspects, life in Shinhwa had been less complicated and more carefree. And it was the place where they had been studying at when he and Jun Pyo had met the great loves of their lives. And that was when he had started thinking about proposing to Ga Eul here. It might not be the most romantic of places, but it was significant in some respect.

He had not brought the rings though. And Ga Eul was supposed to be here in forty minutes. As fast as his Lotus was, there was still late afternoon traffic to deal with. He was walking the grounds, looking for an idea when the blue and purple flowers caught his eye. Maybe he didn't have the rings but he could make her a bouquet of flowers. After all, how many girls could say that their boyfriends had done that for them?

Mentally apologising to whoever had put the flowers there, he took them up to the private schoolroom that F4 used to occupy. After scrounging around in Ji Hoo's drawers, he found some wrapping paper and plastic that would do nicely, along with a thick roll of silver ribbon. Looks like all those hours of sitting with Eun Jae during flower arrangement classes were going to pay off after all.

Carefully, he selected the flowers, cutting stems and leaves as he placed them next to each other, trying to see which colours matched the best. Blue for loyalty, wisdom and faithfulness, lavender for creativity and independence, white for purity and perfection. All that she was, he thought happily, smelling the fragrance of the petals as he picked up the bouquet. She would like it. Yi Jeong was about to leave when he spotted the Polaroid camera Woo Bin had left on his table. "Why not?" he murmured, knowing how much she loved photographs. Holding it up, he held the flowers close to him so that they would be captured in the shot. And since girls liked poetry, at least according to Don Juan….Grabbing a marker, Yi Jeong wrote a sentence before placing the small photos carefully amongst the flowers. A quick glance at the clock showed that he had exactly one minute to get to the Art Centre before she did.

It was a long run, but he hardly felt it. All he could think about was her.

…………………..

So much for seizing the moment and all that. Yi Jeong checked his watch for what seemed like the one hundredth time. She was more than three quarters of an hour late. She was not replying to his messages and when he called her phone, an engaged tone was all he got. Panic, cold and clammy, crept down his spine. Had something gone wrong? Had she changed her mind about them? No, she couldn't have. She loved him. Maybe something had happened to her, an accident? Panic blossomed into fear. A life without her was not worth living…

"Sunbae!"

His heart leapt within him and he turned around to see her standing there, smiling apologetically at him. "I know I'm late. There was this massive jam and when I got here, I managed to get myself lost! And my phone died on me. I'm sorry I kept you waiting."

After all the horrors his overly active imagination had conjured, the truth seemed so benign by comparison. It was a little odd though that so many events had conspired to interrupt his proposal. Never mind, only the courageous would conquer love, so Ga Eul had told him once. And she was right.

Lifting up the bouquet, he held it out to her, delighting in the smile of pleasure that wreathed her face as she took it from him. "I made this for you."

"These are so beautiful! And they smell lovely." Her eyes looked suspiciously wet and she blinked a few times before leaning to hug him close. "I love you," she murmured shyly before raising her face to kiss him softly on the lips.

"I love you too Ga Eul yang." It was now or never. Ignoring the way his heart pounded against his ribs, Yi Jeong kissed her again before pulling away to gaze into her eyes. "Will you be my eternal flower?"

She cupped his cheek gently, her fingers stroking his skin, and in her face he could see all the love in the world. "Of course, Yi Jeong sunbae."

Fireworks went off inside Yi Jeong's head and he almost saw stars. She had said yes!

"Aren't you being poetic today? It's a lovely metaphor though. "

The fireworks dimmed a little. That didn't sound like the way a woman in love behaved when she said yes to a proposal from the man she loved. Women cried, they laughed, they hugged the man. They didn't tell him he used a nice meta-whatever.

"I didn't know you could do flower arrangement either. It's prettier than anything I've seen even in the shops."

Okay, the fireworks had officially died out by now. Yi Jeong was so taken aback and stunned by her failure to realise what he had meant that he could only stare at her as she fussed over the flowers. What had he done wrong?

"Oh, you've written that question on the photo as well. I didn't notice it just now, but I've already said yes so…Yi Jeong sunbae, are you alright?"

She must have seen him grimace when she had mentioned she had said yes. 'Not the kind of 'yes' I had in mind,' Yi Jeong thought gloomily even as he muttered that he was fine. So much for poetry! He should have just stuck to being straightforward. If only Woo Bin hadn't opened his big mouth. Even without them being around, F4—well, half of F4—had managed to sabotage his proposal. This had to be karma for disrupting Jun Pyo's proposal to Jan Di a year ago.

"So why did you want me to meet you here? Is there something special you wanted to show me?"

Ouch, talk about taking the metaphorical knife and twisting it in deeper. But she didn't know what she was doing, and so he pushed it aside. "Not really, I was just feeling nostalgic and wanted to be here for a little longer. Now, what would you like to have for dinner?"

As Ga Eul made a few suggestions, Yi Jeong half listened as he starting planning for Operation Proposal: Part Two.


	33. XXXI

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XXXI

He tried running, but there was nowhere to hide. "You must have spies everywhere," Yi Jeong said dryly as Woo Bin and Ji Hoo slipped into the seats opposite him and made themselves at home. "This is my first time here and you've found me."

The pub was small and comfortable and the drinks were good, as were the finger foods. But it was a far cry from their usual haunts and that was why he had picked it. Staying at home was not an option; it would be too easy for them to find him there.

"Hey, I am a mafia prince after all." Woo Bin's smile was good humoured although there was a slight edge to his words that he could not help. While he had learnt to accept what he was, shame was never an easy thing to rub away. "Yi Jeong my bro, tell us good news."

Ji Hoo said nothing but his eyes were bright with expectancy. Yi Jeong tried not to shrink into his own seat. "There's nothing much to tell."

Woo Bin sighed. "Please don't tell me you're suddenly shy." And then his eyes narrowed. "Unless Ga Eul was so moved by your proposal that you finally managed to get her into the sa—"

"Hey, that happens to be my girlfriend you are talking about!"

Ji Hoo pounced. "Not fiancée?"

Both Yi Jeong and Woo Bin froze for different reasons.

'Damn it," Yi Jeong swore silently. He had given himself away.

"What the hell?" Woo Bin swore aloud, looking from Ji Hoo to Yi Jeong, waiting for some kind of denial. When none came Woo Bin swore again. "I don't believe it. Ga Eul said no?!"

So Yi Jeong, ex-Casanova extraordinaire, one of the infamous F4 and renowned potter, blushed like a school girl from embarrassment. "She did not say no," he muttered, taking a large gulp from his glass. All the alcohol in the world wouldn't help now though. "She didn't say yes either."

"So she said maybe?" Ji Hoo ventured. "That's not a proper answer to a proposal. Maybe she needs more time to think about it."

"More time? Five years is the longest relationship that Yi Jeong has ever had with anything, discounting us, his art collection and of course his car. And didn't Ga Eul like you before you liked her? How much more time does she need?"

Woo Bin sounded so aghast it would have been comical if it hadn't been his ego at stake. "It's not a question of more time."

"She didn't like you proposing to her at your old school," Ji Hoo said, completely sure that he had the answer.

"No, it isn't that either. Can we drop this?" Yi Jeong asked through gritted teeth.

"I find it hard to believe this but maybe she didn't like the ring. You sure you picked the right colour man? I mean, they all look white to me and you really ought to leave such things to the salespeople."

Yi Jeong fought the urge to bury his head in his hands. "The two of you aren't going to stop are you?"

Ji Hoo leaned forward. "We're just trying to help you figure out what went wrong." All this was said in such a kindly tone that Yi Jeong finally snapped.

"She didn't know I had proposed okay? That's why she didn't say yes or no. She had no idea that I had just asked her to marry me. And it's your fault!" He rounded on Woo Bin, glaring at the mafia prince who looked more like a harmless deer caught in the headlights at the moment.

"What did I do?"

"Girls like poetry," Yi Jeong mimicked. "She liked it alright; she just didn't understand that I was asking her to be mine forever."

"And how is that my fault?"

"You and your big mouth. I should never have listened to you!"

"I hate to interrupt this little squabble but if you listened to him, then isn't it your fault?" Ji Hoo cut in mildly. "Besides, you did decide to propose spontaneously and while it is commendable, somewhat, the chances of plans going awry is greater. You should know that."

"Exactly," Woo Bin said triumphantly even though a couple of words that Ji Hoo had said went over his head. But he had gotten the basic gist and that was good enough.

Yi Jeong wanted to argue but he had nothing to say. Ji Hoo was right. So he went back to nursing his drink and ignoring his friends.

It was wrong to laugh. He was supposed to be helping in his best friend's hour of need. Still, one had to smile. The one and only Casanova, even if he had given up on chasing skirts five years ago, had failed miserably at proposing to the woman he loved. It was one thing to be turned down. It was another for the woman to be completely unaware that a proposal had been made. That kind of failure was in a class by itself. Of all the members of F4, the only one they had expected to screw up royally was Jun Pyo, not Yi Jeong.

Yi Jeong had always been a good friend, the best friend a guy could have. And like it or not, he had put that suggestion about poetry into his head. Still, seeing Ji Hoo smiled and then try to wipe it off was too much. Woo Bin felt a giggle rise in his throat and quickly smothered it with a fake cough. Ji Hoo shot him a warning glance and that sent another wave of mirth rising up. This time, Woo Bin coughed and pressed his hand against his mouth, pretending to be deep in thought. He managed to do this for a few minutes before the chuckles got the better of him.

And then Ji Hoo smiled again and Woo Bin gave up all pretence of trying to be serious. He covered his mouth but it was of no use since he was practically doubled over with laughter.

"I'm never speaking to you two again," Yi Jeong said with deadly calm but it only made Woo Bin laugh harder. Ji Hoo was smiling uncontrollably, unable to straighten his expression.

When Woo Bin was done, he lay back in his chair, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I'm sorry Yi Jeong ah but that was just the funniest. And we all thought Jun Pyo would be the one to make a mess of things."

"You're failing miserably if you are trying to change my mind about not speaking to you."

"Do you need our help?"

Yi Jeong looked suspiciously at Ji Hoo, wondering if karma would make use of this best friend to give him another kick in the ass. "No thanks, I'll figure something out."

"Well, as long as this story has a happy ending." Woo Bin realised that Yi Jeong had transferred his gaze to him. "What? Did I say something again?"

Woo Bin might be on to something there. But he was not about to tempt Fate. Yi Jeong smiled serenely and shook his head. Inside though, he was starting work out the details of what he felt was going to be a perfect proposal.

…………………

**Two months later…**

Ga Eul giggled as Yi Jeong helped her into the house. "What are you up to?" she asked again, wishing that she could remove the silk scarf that he used to blindfold her with in the car.

"It's a surprise. We're almost there."

Behind her, she heard him lock the door and then once again, his arm was around her shoulder, his other hand clasped in hers as he led her forward. She knew this place even without sight and knew that they were heading towards the dining room. Finally, they came to a halt. Gently, she felt him unknot the blindfold and waited a second before opening her eyes.

It was a few seconds before she could speak. The table was set with the finest dinnerware, a blue and white set that she had never seen before. The lights were dimmed and there was a magnificent silver candelabrum in the middle of the table. And all around the room, there were beautiful red irises in round glass vases.

"Why have you done all this?" she whispered, stepping forward as she took in everything that he had done, her hands resting on the silk cream tablecloth.

He held her from behind. Pushing her soft hair to the side, he kissed her neck and pressed his cheek against hers. "I wanted you to have a memorable night. That's all. Every day with you is a special occasion."

Dinner was wonderful. Ga Eul loved the oysters with caviar and butter sauce. She had never eaten Lobster Thermidor before until then but after that evening, she was a fan. Dessert was a platter filled with tiny exquisite fruit tarts, two small shot glasses of tiramisu and crème brulee, and a square of dark chocolate cake that reminded her of the one they had shared that first night she had spent at his house.

"I can't believe I ate all that," Ga Eul groaned as she laid a hand on her full stomach. "But it was fantastic." Reaching out, she rubbed a hand over his. "Thanks for the meal." She half expected him to suggest that they make their way to the couch where they would snuggle, talk and make out for the rest of the evening, not necessarily in that order though. But Yi Jeong merely smiled, kissed her hand and told her that he would be back in a few minutes; he was going to give her something.

Gazing into the soft flame of the candles, Ga Eul picked out an iris and inhaled its fragrance, pressing it against her cheek. A few minutes had passed when the sound of the doorbell startled her. It was unlikely that Yi Jeong was expecting company but she couldn't very well leave whoever it was out there standing on the doorstep, regardless of how reluctant she was to have their intimate evening interrupted.

"Yi Jeong sunbae!" She called out as she walked to the door but he did not appear. Perhaps he was upstairs. Either that or he was in his studio. Ga Eul opened the door to see Ji Hoo waiting for her. "Ji Hoo sunbae?"

"Yi Jeong requested that I be your chauffeur for the hour." Gallantly he offered her his arm but still she didn't move.

"B-but Yi Jeong sunbae is in the house. He has to be upstairs," she protested even as Ji Hoo reached out and gently pulled her along towards his car in the driveway.

"He's waiting for you Ga Eul. I'll take you to him."

Ji Hoo was as helpful as a sphinx and Ga Eul gave up asking what was going on. She wasn't alarmed, but she was certainly intrigued and she wondered just what Yi Jeong was up to. Finally, they arrived at a hotel. It was the same one that she and Yi Jeong had gone to on their fake date. The last time she had been there, the lobby had been quiet but still full of people. This time though, it looked completely empty although the lights were on.

Ji Hoo opened the door for her and she got out, still unsure of herself or the situation. "Instead of a yellow brick road, he's left you a trail of flower petals. Just follow them and you'll reach him. When you get to the lift, press the button that will bring you to the rooftop. Don't forget to have a good look around." And with a mysterious smile, the white knight of F4 drove off, leaving her behind.

"Follow the petals," she repeated to herself as she pushed open the massive doors. True enough, there was a bright mix of assorted petals scattered in a straight line across the marble floor of the lobby. As Ga Eul followed the path, she recalled Ji Hoo's last sentence and gave the lobby a cursory look over. At first glance, she almost missed it. At second glance, she stopped completely in her tracks. Her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes had not deceived her; it really was there.

There were several columns in the lobby and the one that caught her eye had a whimsically drawn mural painted on it. There was a slender long haired girl and next to her, a man who bore an unmistakable resemblance to Yi Jeong. They were looking at each other with a yearning that was startlingly lifelike and in the background, there was a kiln.

It was their first moment together, the moment that had started them down this path. The next column had another mural of the same girl, this time gazing up into the sky at a plane. The next showed the man writing a letter, a dark furry cat peering over his hand.

Ga Eul laughed, blinking back tears as she gently touched the wall, marvelling at the beauty of the murals, at the fact that Yi Jeong had captured these moments. It was their love story.

The wall near to the lift showed a craggy cliff side and a roaring ocean below. At the top was the man. He looked so sad but the girl was there, a pale spectre with her arms around him, comforting him. It was the dream date she had described to him. This merged with the next one, a cluster of smaller assorted paintings: Yi Jeong with a camera, herself holding the dish he had made for her, fireworks in the background. A swirl of letters that stretched across lands and oceans below. The words 'infinite passion' written on every one of them.

By the time she got to the lift, Ga Eul was unable to hold back her tears. She couldn't wait to find him, to put her arms around him and tell him that if she had another lifetime to give, it was his.

There was a long corridor leading to closed doors. Here, the walls were covered with murals too. She could see herself, holding out her hand to him. They were standing outside his house as dawn broke around them, his sadness as he walked away from her again at the airport. Ga Eul laughed softly when she realised her Halmoni was there, immortalised in that moment with a captive Yi Jeong on the other end of the line. A circle of irises around the ring he had given her. The words 'I love you' and the date on which they had first said those words to each other.

Seeing herself through his eyes as he watched her from the doorway as she taught her students. Meeting her parents, having dinner with them, a scene from the New Year's gathering with his mother and him together with her family.

Her eyes widened as she neared the doors. There was a mural of him offering her the flowers and below were the words 'My First Proposal Attempt'. "Oh my God, I had no idea," she murmured, feeling simultaneously foolish, incredibly so and a rush of sympathy for him. She hoped it was not too late to give him her reply. And then she saw the next wall, the one closest to the doors.

In the painting, she was standing in the lobby, at the beginning of the flower path. Below were the words 'My Second Proposal Attempt'.

……………………

There was a light wind and three quarters of a pearl white moon that glowed at him and the rooftop garden from the sky. Yi Jeong tried to quell the nervousness rising within him. If Ji Hoo had gotten her here on time, she should already be in the lobby at least.

And then the doors were pushed open and she was there. He could see the sheen of tears on her cheeks, her nose was red and she never looked more beautiful. "How's my second attempt?"

"More direct than your first," she replied, her voice thick with tears and wobbly. "I can't believe you did this." And then she started crying.

Walking swiftly over to her, he pulled her into his embrace and she clung to him as he kissed her, feeling her tears on his skin. "Marry me Ga Eul yang. Always be mine. I'll give you everything I have, I will love you with all that I am. And when this lifetime is over, I want to start another one with you."

She knew that in the future, she would love him even more. But at that moment, it was hard to believe because her heart was already so full. Nodding, she smiled through her tears and whispered her reply. "There's nothing I want more." Clasping his face in her hands, she leaned in and kissed him again.

Taking the ring out of his pocket, Yi Jeong took her hand and slipped the ring onto her finger, his own hands shaking a little. "It's a perfect fit," he said, pleased. "Almost as beautiful as my wife."

She laughed softly, admiring the beautiful diamond that sparkled brightly. "You mean your fiancée. And you are such a smooth talker."

"Only with you Ga Eul yang," he replied, unable to resist kissing her again. He had not known it was possible to be this happy. "Would it be possible for me to talk you into a wedding in three months' time?"

"Three months?"

He nodded. "It will be autumn then. And I heard that Scottish autumns are extraordinarily scenic."

Ga Eul's eyes widened. "Scotland?"

"We already have the castle. Jun Pyo said we might as well use it since Jan Di and he had their own wedding here. Jan Di said it's a good idea too."

Her sneaky best friend had not breathed a word at all! She would thank her for being so good at keeping a secret. But that would have to wait. Right now, she had to give her fiancé a reply.

"In this particular case Yi Jeong sunbae, your wish is my command."


	34. XXXII

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XXXII

Ga Eul smoothed down the dress, and gazed at the mirror, aware that she couldn't stop smiling. Her wedding was five days away, she would be flying to Scotland with Yi Jeong and their friends the day after, and everything was going according to plan. Apart from viewing the tape that Jun Pyo had made of the castle, Yi Jeong had shown her pictures of surrounding gardens, the dark crystal blue loch that the castle was situated near to, and the gentle rolling hills behind. It was like a fairytale castle, a place where happy endings could be made. She couldn't wait to be there.

"Ga Eul ah, are you going to come out?" Jan Di called. 'Time to stop daydreaming,' Ga Eul told herself as she adjusted the bodice. Giving it one final tug up, she stepped out of the dressing room. "Well, what do you think?" Jan Di had seen the dress many times before but Jae Kyung had returned from the States only three days before.

Jae Kyung had been working on her BlackBerry Storm but the moment she saw Ga Eul, she stopped, her hand frozen in mid air. Dropping the phone, she stood up and circled Ga Eul slowly.

"What?" Ga Eul looked at Jae Kyung nervously. The gown had been custom made for her and she had worked with one of the top designers in the country, at the insistence of both Yi Jeong and Madam Kim, her future mother-in-law.

"You're going to outshine even the scenery I think," Jae Kyung said quietly, a smile slowly making its way over her face. "You look so beautiful, and this dress is wonderful."

The ivory satin and lace gown was strapless and fitting, revealing her slender figure before flaring out in gentle waves just above the knee and ending in a small elegant train that was covered in intricate floral blooms. The embroidery was astonishingly delicate and the satin glowed gently under the light. It made Ga Eul look ever fairer, turned her into an ethereal princess.

"Have you decided what jewellery to wear?" Jan Di asked, noting the fleeting wistfulness that appeared on Jae Kyung's face. Even though the latter was as cheerful and bright as ever, coming to Korea was painful for Jae Kyung. She had returned after more than two years only to attend Jan Di's wedding and now, she was here because Ga Eul had asked her to be a bridesmaid. As far as she knew, there had been no contact between Woo Bin and Jae Kyung. In fact, the two seemed to avoid each other like the plague. They had always been at opposite ends of the massive ballroom where her wedding had been held and Jae Kyung had requested to be seated with some other socialites that she knew rather than the other F4 members. The moment the wedding had ended, she had boarded a flight back to America. Until today, no one knew exactly what had happened between Woo Bin and her.

"Yi Jeong's mother is lending me her antique diamond teardrop earrings and I'll wear a diamond cuff bracelet she bought me as a wedding gift. And of course my engagement ring, but nothing else apart from those. This dress is an accessory in itself."

Jae Kyung tapped her fingers against her chin lightly. "You should wear your hair down, in soft waves. Just pull some of it back and let the rest come down naturally. Your hair is gorgeous anyway, it's shampoo commercial material." She mock flipped her own short locks and they burst out in giggles.

"Since I'm already in my dress, let me see you in yours."

While Jae Kyung was inside changing, Ga Eul sat down beside Jan Di. "This dress is tight," she wheezed slightly. "But I think I should still be able to eat."

Jan Di smiled. "Just look at us," she nodded in the direction of the mirror. "We still look the same although so much has changed. I'm married, you're getting married. And to members of F4 too. Who would have ever imagined this moment all those years ago?"

They looked at their reflections in the mirror. Jan Di could see the changes time had wrought on her; her hair was longer, her face wiser, those sharp dark eyes just a little bit mellower as well. And as always, the large rock masquerading as a diamond ring on her wedding finger could not be ignored. Most men bought big diamond rings because they either loved their wives or wanted to flaunt their wealth. Jun Pyo must be the only husband in the world to buy a huge in-your-face ring as a warning sign to other men that she was taken and that they should forget about pestering her or else.

"You look happier, and more peaceful," Ga Eul said softly. "In spite of a rough start, Jun Pyo sunbae has been good for you."

It wasn't like Jan Di to praise her husband in front of others, let alone in private. But the tenderness in her smile as Ga Eul spoke was unmistakable.

The conversation came to a halt when Jae Kyung emerged. "That's not fair," Jan Di pouted. "How come she looks so much better in the same dress?"

Like the bride's gown, the bridesmaid's dress was also strapless with a fitted bodice. But below that, the material fell in flowing drapes that stopped quite a few inches above the knee. Jun Pyo had grumbled but Jan Di had told him flat out that she was not altering the dress. The material was of the palest baby blue. While Jan Di looked very pretty in it, Jae Kyung was striking.

Jae Kyung did a little twirl and admired the way the material swirled gently. "That won't be true according to Jun Pyo. And his is the only opinion that counts." Her smile dimmed momentarily before brightening again but it had given away whom she was thinking about. "You know, you guys might have to come to America next year for bridesmaid dress fittings too."

"Ah?" Jan Di blurted out her surprised exclamation before she could stop herself. Ga Eul wasn't able to speak at all. Her first thought was to call Yi Jeong and tell him.

She had been wondering for days whether she ought to tell them about his proposal. It had been so sudden; he had insisted on seeing her off at the airport and moments before she walked through the gate, he had proposed. If she still came back single and unattached, they should get married, he insisted. He would be able to fill that gap in her heart if she gave him a chance.

"His name is Oliver, he's a business associate and we're really good friends." That's why she felt so guilty for even considering his proposal. "I'm considering his offer. He's been very patient and there's no one I like as much as him. I'll give him an answer when I go back."

Ga Eul wanted to point out that friendship involved a different kind of love and affection but she stopped herself. Obviously Jae Kyung knew that. So what was the point in telling her not to marry this man? "As long as you feel that you'll be happy," she finally said, noticing how relieved Jae Kyung looked.

Jan Di nodded mutely. It was clear she didn't approve but she wasn't going to say it. But she did ask a question that had been weighing on all their minds when Jae Kyung dropped her bombshell. "Are you going to tell Woo Bin sunbae?"

Her only response was a sad smile and a small shrug. Apparently, Jae Kyung didn't know the answer to that.

……………..

Chung Ae stood nervously outside her husband's room. The wedding was taking place soon and she had already packed her bags. Two days before the wedding, she would catch an evening flight together with the rest of Ga Eul's family and her own relatives, and Il Hyun and Eun Jae. Apart from them, none of the So clan would be there, including Hyun Sub.

Gathering her courage, Chung Ae knocked on the door once. There was no response. She knocked again, louder this time. And then she heard his voice telling her to come in.

Hyun Sub had thought it was one of the servants. He hadn't expected to see his wife in this wing of the house, let alone standing here in his room. They really were strangers living under the same roof. He managed to stay out of her way and she had made no efforts to see him at all, especially once she had begun treatment with her psychologist. "What do you want?" he asked, trying not to sound too cold.

It was hard to be in his presence; after all, she had spent a lifetime of unrequited love on him. He had not even tried to love her; perhaps that's what hurt the most. But she was stronger now and she had to do this, at least for Yi Jeong's sake.

"Are you sure that you won't come?" she finally said, holding her hands together to prevent herself from fidgeting.

Hyun Sub went back to knotting his tie, trying to ignore the sight of his wife whom he could see in the mirror. "You know that my father disapproves of this marriage. I don't want to anger him any further or he might go back on his word to leave Yi Jeong alone. Besides, I don't want to go. I don't like weddings." He smiled ironically at that last part and although he knew he was being slightly cruel, he couldn't help it.

That hurt but she refused to flinch. Hyun Sub despised her for her weakness and she had to show him that she was different now. "I didn't realise that. Yes, you are right. I was just concerned about Yi Jeong; he was disappointed when he told me that you were not coming."

When she smiled graciously at him, Hyun Sub seemed to see her for the first time. She wore a simple lavender blouse and white skirt. Around her neck she wore a strand of pearls. She was still a beautiful woman, with her dark hair and pale unlined skin, and utterly wasted on him. "Are you going out?"

"Yes, I'm going over to Ga Eul's place. Her mother and I have some errands to run together." When he didn't reply, she took it as a sign that she should go. Chung Ae was about to close the door behind her when Hyun Sub spoke again.

"Send Yi Jeong my well wishes. He took the road less travelled by. For his sake, I hope it has made all the difference."

Chung Ae blinked against the fiery sting of tears. "I'll let him know, he'll be happy to hear it." She paused for a second before deciding that she would speak her mind. "You and I, we've hardly done anything right but our sons have turned out good men."

Her words were still echoing in his ears long after she had gone.

……………

Yi Jeong brushed a stray hair from Ga Eul's cheek, stroking her head gently as she sighed and nuzzled in closer. Unable to sleep until the last part of the flight, she had finally dozed off and had proceeded to practically sleepwalk her way through customs while leaning on him. And now they were finally in a car on their way to the castle and she had slept off again. He was tired too but had decided to keep awake as much as possible. He didn't want to miss a moment of this.

Jun Pyo, Jan Di and Jae Kyung were ahead in their own car and behind them were Ji Hoo and Woo Bin. Yi Jeong wondered again if he should tell Woo Bin the news of Jae Kyung's possible impending engagement. Woo Bin was pretending not to care that Jae Kyung was around, but he could not disguise the faint shadows under his eyes, or the fact that he drunk harder or flirted more now that she was here. If he cared for her, he ought to pursue her. If anything, Yi Jeong's own situation with Ga Eul should serve as an encouragement to seize chances that came one's way.

The car coming to a smooth stop interrupted his thoughts and he realised that they were here. The wall was high and iron gates looked equally imposing. But leaves and branches from the magnificent trees that lined the seemingly endless driveway formed a golden canopy that was like something out of a dream. "Ga Eul yang, wake up." He shook her gently until she opened her eyes and yawned. "Look outside sweetheart."

"Sunbae, oh my goodness…" Ga Eul pressed her fingers to her lips. She had never seen autumn like this, had never seen trees such a rich shade of gold. It felt like she was being travelling deeper into some enchanted wood.

Turning to him, she planted a quick kiss on his cheek. "I'm so glad you suggested getting married here," she murmured before turning her attention to the scenery outside again.

Yi Jeong was wondering just how much Jun Pyo had paid for this when the castle came into view. Still framed by the trees on either side as they neared the end of the driveway, it was a startling white under the sun with dark greyish blue roofs and turrets. And not too far away in the background lay the deep wide loch that stretched as far as the eye could see, surrounded by green hills dotted with trees gilded gold and red by autumn.

"Happily ever after comes with a perfect castle apparently," Yi Jeong finally said after he and Ga Eul sat there admiring the view in silence.

"Let's hope some of this romantic atmosphere rubs off on Jae Kyung and Woo Bin sunbae."

"You never know. It just might."

There was something about the way he said that which made Ga Eul stare hard at her fiancé. "Did you do something?"

Yi Jeong's mischievous smile was enough to answer her question.

……………….

Woo Bin surveyed the room. For a place that was about five hundred years old, it was not bad at all. His room had a view that overlooked the lake and now that it was almost evening the waters sparkled, threaded with light like diamonds.

When he found himself wondering where Jae Kyung was, Woo Bin decided it was time to explore the place. The rest of the guests would arrive only tomorrow and all of them were putting up in the numerous rooms the castle contained. The wedding would be take place the day after. In the meantime, he would try his best to avoid her, he was sure it could be done.

Which was why he was mildly horrified to discover that she was staying in the room directly opposite his. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question," she shot back, chin slightly in the air.

Then an awkward silence descended. Jae Kyung looked at the ground while Woo Bin stared off to the side, hoping that Ji Hoo or Yi Jeong or anyone would appear. Unfortunately though, the corridor was deserted except for them. Woo Bin wondered if he could get himself shifted to another room.

"I hope you're not thinking of running off to another room."

Damn the woman. She could always read his mind. "It might make things less awkward."

Jae Kyung pasted on the biggest smile she could muster. "It was more than two years ago and I'm past that. Besides, this is Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's wedding. We can put aside our differences for a couple of days." With bravado she didn't quite feel, she held out her hand to him. "Care to shake on that Prince Song?"

Big bright eyes gazed up at him and in spite of himself, Woo Bin grinned. Ha Jae Kyung was openly daring him to turn down her offer. "You're on Monkey."

Taking the first step was already enough for that day. But somehow, Jae Kyung could not bring herself to say no when Ji Hoo asked if she wanted to explore the area with Woo Bin and him. Besides, Jan Di and Jun Pyo were off exploring on their own, and Yi Jeong and Ga Eul were meeting with the wedding planners and the staff. She didn't want to be a third wheel. And whether she liked it or not, she knew she also wanted to be close to Woo Bin. In spite of his sudden coldness to her and the way he had ended their semi-relationship, she still missed him. If she could walk away from him at the end of this, she would take it as a sign that she could learn to be happy with Oliver.

She was busy pondering the wisdom of this decision when Ji Hoo's words almost stopped her in her tracks. "Did you know the castle might be haunted?"

"What?" Jae Kyung hardly ever squeaked and usually nothing fazed her. But ghosts were another thing entirely. One couldn't beat up a ghost.

"Well, I haven't managed to find out the entire legend but I read something about a pair of lovers who quarrelled here and the woman ran away and got lost in the mists of the hills. Some say she fell into the loch and drowned. Others say she left and there are other stories about how she was carried away by another suitor. The man, who was a son of the family that owned this castle, spent his whole life searching for her and he died before finding her. So apparently, his ghost is still searching for her until today. By day he roams the countryside and by night he searches the rooms, thinking she will be there."

Woo Bin didn't believe in ghost stories at all but he was concerned about Jae Kyung who was staring ashen-faced at Ji Hoo. "Oi, Ji Hoo ah, stop talking about such things."

"Why would Jun Pyo want to buy a castle with such a miserable history to it?" Jae Kyung jumped as blades of grass brushed her legs.

Ji Hoo smiled. "Oh, you know Jun Pyo. He's an impulse buyer. Please don't mention this to Yi Jeong or Ga Eul okay? It might upset them. Besides, I didn't smell roses in the hallway or corridor just now."

"Hey, that's enough. Why don't we—"

"What about the smell of roses?" Jae Kyung interrupted Woo Bin who was standing behind her. She could not see him frantically pointing at her and shaking his head at Ji Hoo, who chose to ignore him.

"The male ghost supposedly carries roses with him to give to his lover when they meet again. It's his way of saying sorry."

So much for roses being on her top five list of favourite flowers. Jae Kyung shivered and wrapped her arms tightly around herself in spite of the gentle warmth.

"Are you okay?" Woo Bin asked, glaring daggers at the oblivious Ji Hoo's back as the latter walked off. "Monkey?"

She was not going to imagine a lonely male ghost roaming the corridors. Nope, she wasn't going to imagine him trying all the knobs and handles and making his way into the rooms. No way was he going to make his way into her room. "Woo Bin ah, can I just hold onto your arm for a second?"

Without questioning why, he held out his arm to her and let her wrap her slender arms around it as she pressed herself against his side. His solid warmth and strength felt good and for a moment, her fears were abated.

…………

Ji Hoo snuck a quick look back before speaking again into his phone. "It's working. Yup, she swallowed that ghost story, hook, line and sinker."

"Operation: Mr and Mrs Monkey has successfully taken off."

"I wish you wouldn't call it that."

"Yah, this is my castle and my plan. I'll call it anything I want."

"Wasn't it Jan Di and Yi Jeong's plan?"

"Oh look, Jan Di wants to talk to me. I'll see you later."

Ji Hoo chuckled softly as he slid the phone back into his pocket. Behind him, Jae Kyung and Woo Bin were still walking arm in arm.


	35. XXXIII

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XXXIII

Tomorrow, she would be married to Yi Jeong. In the last few hours of the afternoon and in a beautifully kept garden that overlooked the loch, she would walk down a narrow path that led to a small gazebo. There, before their family, friends and the Justice of the Peace, he would be waiting for her to start their life together.

Ga Eul sighed and gazed out the window at the glittering loch. She felt so excited, she wanted to be with him so that time would fly and the hours in between would disappear. Instead, she was stuck in her room because of some silly superstition which wasn't even Korean in origin but which her grandmother and mother wanted her to adhere to. In the meantime, her wedding planner was busy going over last minute details with Yi Jeong.

A gentle snore from her bed reminded her that she wasn't entirely alone. If she were Rapunzel, Jae Kyung was Sleeping Beauty. Terrified because of the fake ghost story that Ji Hoo had told her, she had spent the night sitting up in bed with all the lights on. As a result, she had hardly been able to keep her eyes open for most of the morning and the moment Ga Eul had been confined to her room, Jae Kyung had gladly accompanied her so that she could catch a nap without fear of being alone with a lonely spectre. Jan Di had wanted to come to but Jun Pyo had insisted that she stay with him.

Quietly so as not to disturb her sleeping friend, Ga Eul took out a pen and some paper. If she couldn't see Yi Jeong, there was one other thing that she could do. It had been quite awhile since she had last written him a letter.

………………………

Yi Jeong looked around at the garden, aware that Ga Eul was several levels above and probably looking out of her window. He had tried sneaking through the gardens to see if he could have a look at her, even if it was from afar. But his mother had realised what he was up to and had sternly warned him against upsetting his future in-laws, so he had no choice but to obey. Inwardly, he sulked a little but the thought of marrying Ga Eul tomorrow more than cheered him up. They had waited five years for this day to come and one more day would be bearable.

"Is there anything else that you would like to go over again Sir?" His wedding planner asked solicitously but Yi Jeong told her that everything was fine. The garden was huge, a sprawling landscaped work of art which was fairly bursting with colour. In order to complement this, the marquee tent where the wedding dinner would take place in was large and cream, with the centrepieces of the tables created with flowers from that garden itself. The wedding theme was cream and pale gold, his favourite colours on Ga Eul.

It was almost evening and time for dinner. Once again, he wished that he could eat with Ga Eul but reminded himself to be patient. Still, he couldn't help but be curious over the strange demand that they both follow the tradition of not being able to see each other the day before and on the day of the wedding itself. Woo Bin had said that some couples followed that rule but as far as he knew, it was only for the day of the wedding, not the day before.

"Yo, my soon to be married bro."

Yi Jeong jumped before he could stop himself. He hadn't even heard Woo Bin coming up behind him. "Are you guys going to eat now? I could use some company."

"How the mighty have fallen. Once best friends, now substitutes for Ga Eul." Woo Bin sighed dramatically, placing a hand over his heart and then ducked as Yi Jeong tried to elbow him in the side.

"Mystery solved," Ji Hoo announced as they made their way to the main dining hall.

Yi Jeong frowned. "What mystery?"

"This strange arrangement about Ga Eul not being allowed to see you until the wedding tomorrow. Woo Bin and I overheard a conversation between your mother, her mother and grandmother. Based on what they said, Ga Eul's grandmother is the main culprit with your mother as the second in command. Ga Eul's mother is just going along with them."

"And this is about?"

"Grandchildren and the number four. They're planning for the appearance of Number One tomorrow night and are counting on your suffering 'Ga Eul deprivation' to help with that. You'd better hide the condoms later buddy. I wouldn't put it past your mother or her scary grandmother to make sure the protection goes missing."

He didn't know what was more disturbing: the nefarious plans of his mother who had deserted him in favour of her in-laws or that Woo Bin and Ji Hoo had shamelessly eavesdropped on their seniors and were cheerfully relating this to him.

"Yi Jeong ah, did you hear Woo Bin?"

"Loud and clear," Yi Jeong muttered. "Thanks for the heads up." He wasn't about to tell them that at least for tomorrow night and the honeymoon, there would be no protection used. If it happened, it happened. If it didn't, they would wait a year before trying. If he told his best friends about his plans for fatherhood, they would in all probability keel over and faint. It was a sight worth beholding but his desire for privacy where this issue was concerned outweighed the former.

"By the way, Ji Hoo ah, I need a favour…" Yi Jeong withdrew a small blue envelope from his pocket which Ji Hoo took without question. "Thanks."

"I'll pass it to her after dinner. By the way, did you notice the smell of roses in the hallway today? I mentioned it to Jae Kyung before she went off with Ga Eul and I think she almost had a heart attack."

Woo Bin pressed his lips together in annoyance. For some funny reason, Ji Hoo was getting his kicks from frightening the normally unflappable heiress and it was working. Jae Kyung had looked so pale and worn out that morning that his heart had gone out to her. He had almost offered to bunk in with her to give her some assurance of safety but had stopped himself in time. All he needed was just one more day, and then he would be able to walk away from Ha Jae Kyung. When he got back to Korea, he was going to go through that little black book that he had left lying in a drawer in his room. Maybe it would dim the memory of having to be so near to her now.

…………….

Ga Eul rose to her feet immediately when she heard a soft knock on the door. Any thoughts of it being Yi Jeong were quashed when she heard Ji Hoo's clear voice from behind it.

"Love Letter Delivery Service," he quipped, smiling angelically as he held out the envelope to her. "Yi Jeong could not risk the Wrath of Halmoni even though he is dying to see you. Besides, they've got him trapped in the hall going over all the wedding details with them again. You wouldn't happen to have a letter for him too, would you?"

"Poor Yi Jeong." In spite of herself, Ga Eul grinned at the irony of Yi Jeong being rendered helpless by three elderly women. "Thanks Ji Hoo sunbae," she said as she handed her envelope to him. "By the way, where's Jae Kyung? She disappeared after informing me that she was going to bunk in with me tonight."

The only indication of alarm that flashed across Ji Hoo's face was the tiniest twitch of his brow. "I have to go now Ga Eul. By the way, you don't mind the smell of roses do you?"

Ah, she knew what he was going to do. "No, I'm fine with it. But I don't think Jae Kyung is going to be happy about this."

"Oh she will be. She just doesn't know it yet."

……………..

Still tired in spite of her long nap that afternoon, Jae Kyung yawned. She was full after dinner and was looking forward to a hot shower and good night's rest in Ga Eul's room. Darting in quickly, she gathered her towel, a small bag of toiletries and her nightie before locking the door and heading one floor up. She was at the top step when she smelt it. The faint scent of roses came wafting gently towards her. Her eyes widened in horror. Tentatively taking a small step towards the room, she realised that the smell was coming from the end of the corridor, where Ga Eul's room was situated.

"Oh crap," Jae Kyung whispered. A part of her wanted to run into the room and just stay there with Ga Eul. The rest of her was in favour of running back down the stairs and hiding in her own room. Ga Eul didn't need to know about some stupid ghost the night before her wedding day. Swallowing hard, Jae Kyung tiptoed down the steps, hoping the ghost would not have noticed her.

"Almost home free," she muttered as she unlocked her door and slammed it shut behind her. That was before she realised that her room now smelt faintly of roses too. The scream that she had earlier suppressed escaped and before she knew it, she was out in the corridor hammering on Woo Bin's door.

"What? What is it?" Woo Bin opened the door and was almost knocked over as Jae Kyung came barrelling in.

"Quick, lock the door," she said, her teeth chattering. "The ghost is in my room."

"Uh, are you sure?" Geez, that was smart, he thought to himself, wincing inwardly. But Jae Kyung in his room while he had nothing but a robe on was having an effect on his ability to think on his feet.

"It smells like roses in there now but a minute ago it didn't! This ghost is following me around. It was waiting for me outside Ga Eul's room."

She was shaking and close to tears. Woo Bin knew better but he went ahead and hugged her to him. "It's okay now. I'm here yah? You'll be alright."

Jae Kyung leaned against him, waiting for her shivers to subside. Closing her eyes, she inhaled his scent and for a moment it felt like that wonderful night they had shared years ago. They had both fallen asleep on his couch and she had woken up cuddled in his arms. He always made her feel safe.

"Feeling better?" he murmured, rubbing her back while cursing himself for a fool and for taking advantage of her fright so that he could hold her.

Yes and no. She felt less fearful and was now more confused. 'Think of Oliver,' she told herself sternly but could not for the life of her summon a recollection of his face. "Could I use the bathroom? I need to shower."

Images of Jae Kyung slick and wet while covered in foam popped into Woo Bin's head. "Sure, help yourself," he mumbled.

"Woo Bin ah, could I stay here for the night? I'll sleep on the couch or something." It felt incredibly awkward asking this now but she reckoned she might as well get it all out of the way. For a moment she thought he was going to refuse her. Then, to her immense relief, he shrugged and nodded.

"You can't have the couch though. I'll sleep there. You take the bed."

"Thank you. You really are a prince," she said softly before closing the door.

There was nothing princely or remotely chivalrous about the thoughts he was entertaining now. Well, what Jae Kyung didn't know wouldn't hurt her. But it was going to be one long night for him.

……………………

Only the soft glow of the bedside lamp illuminated the room. Once it became clear that Jae Kyung wasn't coming over, Ga Eul took out Yi Jeong's letter. Gently opening the envelope, she withdrew a single sheet of white paper and unfolding it gently, started to read his familiar flowing script.

_Ga Eul yang,_

_It feels a little strange to be writing a letter to you again. I'm sitting in my room and looking down at the garden. Everything is in place and all that is missing is tomorrow. _

_I feel a little anxious, but in a good way. Our mothers and grandmother have gone over the wedding details with fine toothcombs and if they can't find any problems, I think everything will proceed smoothly. I have to speak to your father though. He can't be found anywhere and it's a useful skill to have in case I ever need to escape from them. _

_I'm looking forward to seeing your gown; you and my mother have done a good job of keeping it a secret. I hope you like the ring; I know I'll like seeing it on your finger. _

_Don't forget that our things will be shifted to the room right at the end of the top floor. That's the room that's been turned into a honeymoon suite and most importantly, has the best view of the loch. If you're wondering why that's important, remind me to explain it to you tomorrow. We'll be spending our first night as man and wife there._

_It's kind of nice seeing that last part down in writing. _

_I keep thinking about that day when Woo Bin and I showed up at the porridge shop with news that Jun Pyo had been released from the hospital. You may not have guessed, but I was a nervous wreck. You'd already rejected me once and here I was preparing to tell you that I was going away but I was going to wait for you, that I hoped you would wait for me. I almost backed out a few times but I told myself I had nothing more to lose and everything to gain._

_When I look at where I am, where we are today, I'm so glad that I decided to be brave. _

_Sleep well tonight. Tomorrow is ours and every other day after that. _

_Yi Jeong_

………………

Only the soft glow of the bedside lamp illuminated the room. For the umpteenth time, Yi Jeong wondered if Ga Eul was sleeping. Lying on the bed, he stared dreamily into nothing, wondering about tomorrow. And try as he might, he couldn't stop thinking about their wedding night either. Deciding that he was not helping himself, Yi Jeong took out the small blue envelope that Ji Hoo had slipped him. Withdrawing a single piece of white paper, he started to read her familiar neat script.

_Sunbae,_

_I'm starting to feel a little like a princess trapped in her tower, waiting for you to come and save me, only I know that this time, you're facing something more insurmountable than any dragon: our mothers and my grandmother. So I'll forgive you for not showing up but you have to make it up to me soon. _

_I'm imagining you are standing in the garden now, going over the wedding details one last time with our wedding planner and I wish I could be there with you. I'm sure everything will be fine. And even if it rained, it wouldn't spoil anything for me. You'll be there and we'll be married. _

_The past five years have been a long journey and to think we almost never began it when I walked away. I'm so glad that you came for me and held on when I gave up. I guess that's how I knew you really were my soulmate. _

_It is amusing when I think back to the time in New Caledonia when we were on the paddleboat and talking about soulmates. At that time, I was thinking that of all the men out there, you would be the absolute last I would pick as my potential partner. _

_I'm so glad that I was completely wrong about you. _

_Under a different sky, in a different country, we're going to begin a different chapter in our lives. Tomorrow can't come soon enough. I can't wait to see you._

_Ga Eul_


	36. XXXIV

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XXXIV

Jae Kyung opened her eyes and for a moment, lay perfectly still. It wasn't because she didn't know where she was or was trying to remember the events from the previous night. She knew all too well that she was in Woo Bin's room, in Woo Bin's bed. However, she also recalled that he had gone to sleep on the couch. So how was it that he was now in the same bed as her, although there was a pillow between them?

Carefully, she turned on her side and gazed at his face. She was sure that he had fallen asleep only after she had; no man was that silent a sleeper. He still looked the same, a little older perhaps and when she had asked him about work, he had been cryptic at best. She guessed that his mafia roots bothered him but they had never spoken about it at all during the time they had spent together.

"Good morning."

Instantly her cheeks flushed and she wished she had never indulged in staring at him. His eyes were closed but he had been awake! "I-I thought you went to sleep on the couch," she stuttered, hoping he wouldn't ask why she had been looking at him.

"It's a little narrow and in the middle of the night, my back started aching. So I thought we could share the bed and I put a pillow in the middle so that I wouldn't have to worry about my modesty."

"Oh, I see. Wait a minute! Your modesty? It's my modesty that needs guarding!"

Woo Bin rolled over to face her, grinning. "Before you say that, take a look at what you are wearing."

Protectively pulling up the covers, she scowled at him. "It's not new, it's black because I like that colour and all nighties have thin straps. But apparently you have been looking."

"I'm a man, what do you expect?"

"Not a man in love I presume. Or else you wouldn't have looked. You shouldn't be so surprised," Jae Kyung said softly. "I know you, or have you forgotten?" When they had been together, he had had eyes for only her.

A light friendly conversation with her was fine. But this was getting too serious for his liking. Woo Bin pushed back the covers, fully intent on getting up but Jae Kyung reached over and placed a hand on his arm.

"Just tell me what I did wrong. I've tried not to think about it but I can't." She hated herself for being pathetic but she was equally desperate for the truth.

"Nobody did anything wrong." Woo Bin pulled away from her touch. "We had an agreement right? Nothing serious, just fun and hanging out together until you went back to America."

"So when you told me that you were glad Jun Pyo had chosen not to marry me, was that just fun too?" Tears filled her eyes and she wiped them away angrily. "You know there was more. I could feel it, so could you."

She was right and he couldn't lie to her about that. She was too sharp for him that way, always had been. "You didn't do anything wrong Jae Kyung. I don't think I've ever been happier with a woman than when I was with you. But we're not a good fit."

She stared at him as though he had just said the dumbest thing in the whole world. "I don't get it. We like the same things, we get along well, and we're even from the same social class—"

"We're not," he cut her off abruptly. "And because of that, our worlds are very different."

"Is this because of your mafia connections?"

Woo Bin's silence was a confirmation in itself. Jae Kyung sat up straighter, not sure whether she felt more outraged or relieved. "So it's not because I've done something wrong but because you think you're not good enough."

That wasn't a question; it was an accusation. Perhaps it would be better not to have this conversation. "Look, it's been done already. There's nothing more to say."

Jae Kyung sprang off the bed as he attempted to walk towards the bathroom in a bid to end their conversation. "No! You aren't getting off that easily. I've spent more than two years nursing my heart and wondering what I've done wrong and it's all because of your stupid ego! Since when have I ever made you feel like you weren't good enough for me?"

Furious, Woo Bin rounded on her. "It's not my ego, it's your parents!"

Surprised and puzzled, she looked at him. "You've never been formally introduced. You've never even met them when we were together."

He had been wondering how long he could keep that from her. Apparently today was a day for confessions. "Your father called your phone and I picked it. I only did that because he called four times and you were still in the ladies'. It was towards the end of your holiday here, we were at a restaurant and you were wearing your favourite red dress."

He still remembered, and so did she. It had been an evening where she had been hoping he would ask her to stay. It should have been a romantic evening, fuelled by her impending departure. Instead, he had turned quiet and distant that evening and it had been the start of the chill that descended upon their relationship.

"What did my father say?" Jae Kyung asked calmly although she had a pretty good idea. When she got back, she was going to scream at her father, however much she loved him.

"He asked who I was and when I gave him my name, he told me he knew about me, the mafia prince who was Jun Pyo's best friend. I was also very politely asked to leave you alone because he had arranged for you to meet a very promising suitor, one worthy of your calibre who would be an asset to your company."

Woo Bin's voice was very controlled but he couldn't hide the bitterness he still felt. "I'm sorry you had to hear that." Slowly, she approached him, and cautiously put her hand on his arm. He didn't pull away, neither did he respond or look at her. "You should have told me."

He sighed deeply. "Maybe. What was the point? It would have made no difference."

Her fingers tightened on his bare skin. "It would have made a difference to me. I had no idea what my father had planned and just so you know, I refused to meet the guy. I kept thinking about you…" Emotion closed up her throat and she swallowed hard. "We're already adults now. We should make our own decisions, not do what other people tell us we should."

Woo Bin looked at her then and he realised what Hyun Ae had meant when she accused him of only giving her kindness. She had never been able to affect him the way Jae Kyung did. He had been faithful and good to her, determined to make this relationship work to compensate for his failure with Jae Kyung. But she had never excited him emotionally, he had always found himself wondering about the woman he had let slip through his fingers from time to time. Still, he could not bring himself to tell her what he knew she wanted to hear.

Her own words echoed in her ears. As much as she wanted to demand to know what Woo Bin's decision was, to talk him into it, she couldn't. Abruptly, she released him and stepped back. "Like I said, it's your decision to make. But when I go to America this time, I won't be coming back, ever. I'm not waiting for you anymore." There was no point in telling him about Oliver; if those words didn't move him, nothing would.

And with that, she proceeded to gather her belongings and exited the room, leaving a stunned Woo Bin behind.

………………

The evening sun was gentle, warm but not hot. Above, the sky was a palette of various golds and blues, streaked with white clouds. In the garden, there were murmurs of excitement as the guests seated themselves on the satin covered chairs that had been placed in the garden for the occasion. The Justice of the Peace was already there at the gazebo, going through some notes he had taken out of his pocket. Yi Jeong wondered what the man was reading; after all, he and Ga Eul had composed their own vows so all the man had to do was pronounce them man and wife.

Yi Jeong was about to go looking for his best men (since he couldn't pick one he had asked all three of them) when he heard whispered squabbling just down the corner from him. It was Jun Pyo. Curious, he walked over silently, wondering what the conversation was about.

"Oi! Have you found them yet?"

"Me? You were the one who lost them!"

"It wasn't me! Ji Hoo was the one who kept pestering me to pass them over and claimed that he returned them to me. Don't you say I was the one who did it!"

"Well, shouldn't we go look again? The ceremony is about to start and if we don't have them by then…"

At that point, Yi Jeong couldn't contain himself anymore. "You lost the rings?!"

All three of them whirled around. However, instead of looking shocked, they proceeded to laugh and slap each other on the back.

"You idiots!" Yi Jeong growled, knowing full well he had just been the victim of a prank.

"Relax bro, the rings are safe." Woo Bin petted the pocket of his jacket.

"They'd better be. Or I'm telling Jan Di that the three of you lost them and even Ji Hoo will be dead meat, because you ruined Ga Eul's wedding," Yi Jeong said smugly.

"Like we don't know that." Jun Pyo shuddered at the thought of his wife's punishments. Being kicked or hit would be getting off lightly.

"Speaking of weddings, yours is about to start. Time to walk down the aisle and wait for your lovely bride who should be down soon." Ji Hoo nodded in the direction of the garden. "Feeling nervous?"

"Yes, but more happy than nervous." Yi Jeong smiled when he realised how sentimental he sounded. "Let's go."

…………..

He stands at the entrance of the gazebo, the Justice of the Peace on the first step, his three best friends behind him. Swallowing hard doesn't quell the unexpected surge of butterflies in his stomach and Yi Jeong thinks that perhaps, he should have had something to eat. Maybe it has to do with all those eyes on him, fifty pairs to be exact. In the front row are Ga Eul's parents, looking both happy but a little tearful and sad. After all, she will be moving out immediately once they return from the honeymoon and their house will have one less member of the family. Still, there are the weekly Friday dinners and he has no intention of stopping those. They are in some ways, the parents that he never had.

Speaking of parents, his father is absent, which is the norm since he has missed every important date in his son's life. This time though, he doesn't feel as angry and disappointed. His mother had relayed the message to him and in it, he realises that his father is proud of him, that he didn't come not because he didn't care. And speaking of his mother, she's seated right beside Ga Eul's halmoni, the two of them dabbing at their eyes with handkerchiefs. She looks very proud and happy, a little wistful but she has come such a long way indeed from those dark days. He's glad that he arranged for her to go on a tour of Scotland and then Europe with Ga Eul's immediate family.

As he stands and waits, his hands shoved deep into his pockets so that he doesn't fidget with them, he wonders again how he managed to get to this moment. He has been waiting for what seems like forever and now forever is here. He thinks about when they first met, he hadn't even fully registered her presence beyond the fact that she was Jan Di's good friend whom he could use. When she had walked out the door of his studio, he had realised she wasn't just any girl. And now with the blessed accuracy of hindsight, he knows now that it was his first encounter with the woman who was going to be his wife.

Restless eyes that scan the doorway finally spot movement. First comes Jan Di, carrying a bouquet of deep red roses. She looks at Yi Jeong with approval—he hasn't let her best friend down after all—then blushes because her husband has just shamelessly winked at her. Behind her is Jae Kyung, who looks nothing short of stunning. Yi Jeong hears Woo Bin inhale sharply beside him and from the corner of his eye, he notices how pale his best friend suddenly is. Ji Hoo's prank worked but the question of how well has yet to be answered.

And then Ga Eul steps into sight and everything else vanishes from his mind. Beauty itself is walking towards him, clad in white, with sunlight in her hair and on the transparent veil she wears. She carries pink and red irises, a symbol of their promise; her eyes are luminous and fixed on his as she walks up the aisle alone, all eyes following her. His arms ache to hold her.

Without a second thought, he holds out his hand to her when she is within reach and revels in the warmth of her palm against his. As the ceremony begins, Yi Jeong whispers softly to her that she is the most beautiful thing he has. Ga Eul thinks that she might just start crying then.

They wait, almost impatiently, for the cue to say their vows. And then the moment arrives.

"Yi Jeong, you were the person who taught me that I had to have a strong heart when it comes to relationships. Like pottery that has been crushed, moulded, cut and placed in the heart of a blazing fire, I would have to endure difficulties in order to get what was truly mine." She squeezes his hand tightly, inhales deeply and continues. "On this day, I would like you to know, you are the best gift that I have ever received. It's true what they say, that out of the fire comes something pure and lasting. It hasn't been easy for us, but I would do it all over again as long as you are with me."

She pauses, blinks rapidly so that the tears don't spill. He runs his thumb over her knuckles encouragingly, feeling a lump in his throat. Because of Ga Eul, he believes that he is worthy of happiness.

"I, Chu Ga Eul, take you, So Yi Jeong, to be my lawfully wedded husband. I will love you, cherish you, protect you and stay with you for better or worse, in sickness and in health. And even if death did part us temporarily, I would wait until we were together again." She passes Jan Di her flowers before taking the ring in slightly shaking hands. "With this ring, I give you my promise." The ring slides easily onto his finger, a larger version of the Lover's Weave ring he has bought for her. Ga Eul exhales and then smiles radiantly up at him.

Now it is his turn.

"Ga Eul, I once told you I didn't believe in happy endings. Thankfully today, I can safely say that you've gotten rid of that belief once and for all." She chuckles softly, holding tightly to his hands. "We're not at the end yet, this is only the start and it's a journey that has begun with great hope and happiness. It won't always be smooth, but I know that we will make it. You've always been my soulmate, sometimes I think you know me better than I know myself. And whatever our souls are made of, yours and mine are the same."

Taking the ring in his hand, he holds it, poised near her finger. "I, So Yi Jeong, take you, Chu Ga Eul, to be my lawfully wedded wife. I will love you, cherish you, protect you and stay with you for better or worse, in sickness and in health. And even if death did part us temporarily, I would wait until we were together again." Gently, he slips the ring onto her finger. "With this ring, I give you my promise."

The Justice of the Peace beams down at them, somewhat amused that there is barely a dry eye amongst the guests. "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

But the groom hasn't bothered waiting for that latter instruction. Her veil is already pushed back and she is in his arms as they kiss under showers of golden light to the sound of gentle applause.


	37. XXXV

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

XXXV

Tonight is his wedding night, his first real night with Ga Eul. Not that all the other times weren't genuine, he corrects himself hastily. They'd had the very rare sleepover, usually when her parents weren't in town and he could come over. That way, they always had parental guilt to keep their wondering hands in check. Plus, Ga Eul seemed to have superhuman self control, even when it came to him. But tonight is different, it's special.

They had bid all their guests good night after the wedding dinner. Some had left; others were staying and then leaving the next morning. And his blushing bride had requested that she go upstairs first and that after a "decent amount of time", to quote her exact words, he could come up as well. As if anyone expected them to keep their hands off each other tonight. But if it made Ga Eul more comfortable, he would do it.

Deciding that thirty minutes is decent enough for anyone, let alone a very eager groom who managed to behave himself for the past year, Yi Jeong takes that first step up the flights of stairs.

"Yi Jeong ah!"

He can't quite swallow the faint curse on his lips. Something like this would happen to him. He could not be allowed to enjoy his wedding night in peace. Making a mental note to himself to lock the door and take the phone off the hook, plus to squirrel their respective handphones away somewhere where Ga Eul could not hear any ringtones, Yi Jeong turns back, a look of strained patience on his face.

"Yes, Woo Bin?" The anxiety on his friend's face changes his own expression to real concern. "Is something wrong?"

"I can't find Jae Kyung. I've tried her room, I've called her but her phone's shut off I think. I've searched the garden and the bank of the lake." It's an effort to keep his voice low and Woo Bin realises subconsciously that he's run his hand through his hair for what must be the thousandth time. "She's missing!"

Ah, so that was the problem. "Oh, she's left for the airport. She went immediately after the dinner." The look on Woo Bin's face is priceless. It was almost funny, except that Yi Jeong felt obliged by the bonds of friendship and brotherhood to feel sorry for Woo Bin.

Woo Bin's first instinct is to grab Yi Jeong by his collar and shake him furiously. Instead, he settles for clenching his jaw and fists and growling at Yi Jeong. "And you didn't tell me because?"

"Because she asked Ga Eul yang and I not to."

That sentence deflates him faster than the hardest punch he has ever received. So she had made up her mind to walk away first. "I see. Thanks."

"Her flight doesn't leave until two hours from now. You can still catch her." Yi Jeong takes out a pair of car keys from his pocket. "One of my relatives saw fit to ship over a Lotus for Ga Eul yang, part of the wedding present. I didn't have the heart to tell him she can't drive. You can borrow her car for tonight. It's sitting in the driveway; bring it back in one piece." Firmly, he takes Woo Bin's hand and drops it in his open palm. "Only the courageous will conquer love. It sounds sappy, but it's true. Look at what happened today."

And with that, he leaves Woo Bin. When he looks back several steps later, his best friend is gone. Seconds later, he hears a familiar low roar of a Lotus starting up and smiles. It's about time that the mafia prince got his princess.

……………………….

Ga Eul stands by the French doors that lead to a balcony that overlooks the loch. It's cold outside; she can see the wind rippling the dark glassy surface of the water. Above, there is a bright moon, not perfectly round but with a pale ring of iridescence surrounding it. She wraps her arms around herself, feeling slightly exposed in her modest silky black robe. Tonight is the first night where there are no boundaries, no limits to whatever they do, to what he wants to do. And as badly as she wants him, she can't help but feel nervous.

The door opens and she turns slightly, her profile caught in the soft dim light. All the lights save one, the light furthest from the bed which illuminates a small alcove in the huge room, have been switched off. She tries to smile at Yi Jeong when he shuts the door and shoots her a rakish grin but she can't.

"Are you okay sweetheart?"

He crosses the room quickly, rubbing his hands up and down her slender arms gently to try and soothe her. Ga Eul tells herself she's being silly; she's waited for this night with as much anticipation as he has. Saving themselves for their wedding night has been tough, to say the least. "Yes I am," she replies softly.

Yi Jeong takes her hand and kisses her fingers gently. Light as a butterfly's touch, he presses his lips against her skin, trailing them over her hand, around her wrist. When he reaches her palm, he touches his tongue to the centre, hears her soft gasp as he continues his ministrations. Then she sighs and he knows he has her. Wrapping her arm around his waist, he leans down and captures her mouth in a kiss.

She opens her mouth for him, moaning softly as his tongue enters and meets hers. She can still taste the wine they had during dinner. His fingers dig into her waist when she sucks on his lip, his tongue. There is a vague awareness when he lifts her in his arms, lays her down on the bed. She slides against the silk sheets as she reaches up, bringing him down with her.

She reaches for his buttons, feeling for them in the darkness. When he tries to untie her robe, she stops him, still feeling shy. Yi Jeong lets her have her way, relinquishing control of the moment to her, knowing it will help her conquer her nerves. When she finally unbuttons his shirt, she pushes it aside, trails her fingers over his bare skin, down his front. Her mouth follows suit and he crushes a fistful of silky hair in his hand as he presses her closer to him, trying not to moan unsuccessfully. With the lights out and with her clothes on, his precious Ga Eul yang has become quite bold.

He feels her fumble slightly when she gets to his pants, knows when she hesitates before deciding to tug them off. He helps her out, glad to be out of the confines of his garments, to feel silk and her skin against his own. She gasps as he catches her around the waist, forcing her to straddle him. Whispering softly to reassure her, he never loosens his grip as he coaxes her to settle atop him. He grits his teeth, stifling a groan when she finally acquiesces and he realises that she is naked underneath the robe. Experimentally, she rocks against him; he can feel her jerk when his erection gets too close to her centre. Pressing his head back against the pillows, Yi Jeong moves with her. When she becomes more confident, he pulls her down to him, kisses her hard enough to bruise her lips and rolls her beneath him. She is perfection and he cannot get enough of her…

………………..

When he finally recovers enough to think, Yi Jeong realises that Ga Eul is bearing his full weight. With a somewhat breathless apology, he rolls over, taking her with him as he cuddles her close.

"Ga Eul yang?" he murmurs.

"Yes?" Her voice sounds so deliciously husky that if he weren't currently exhausted, he would be tempted to make love to her again.

"Nothing." Yi Jeong drops a kiss on her forehead, rubs his cheek against her hair. He doesn't really have anything to say, he just wants her awake with him. It's a strange new feeling; all this in fact is new to him. For once he doesn't want to leave, doesn't want anyone to go. He wants to preserve the moment for as long as he can, he craves a different intimacy after pleasure. Even making love is different now. It's not for selfish gain or to cement his reputation, it's about her and making sure the experience is as unforgettable for her as he knows it is for him.

She chuckles and presses a kiss against his neck before settling down beside him. He listens to her breathing in the darkness, hears each breath as it is drawn out and realises that slowly, she is succumbing to sleep. "Ga Eul yang, have you heard the legend about the lake beside this castle?"

Ga Eul yawns discreetly before she smiles. She knows what he is doing and wonders how long she can stay awake for him. Tonight has been more than anything she expected or hoped for; they finally belong to each other in every way possible between two people. So she fights against the heaviness weighing down her lids, and tries not to think too much about the comforting warmth of his body entwined around hers. "I heard about the fake one you and Jan Di concocted for Woo Bin sunbae and Jae Kyung."

He laughs softly and wonders briefly if Woo Bin managed to catch Jae Kyung in time. He hopes for his best friend's sake that he managed to. "Well, this one is real apparently. It's about a kelpie, a Scottish water horse."

"A water horse?"

"It's a magical creature that usually takes the shape of a beautiful horse in order to ensnare humans. Kelpies can transform into humans as well."

"As handsome as my teacher at school?" She squeals as he retaliates by tickling her mercilessly. "Okay, okay! As handsome as you."

"That's better," Yi Jeong says smugly. She mutters something about vain chaebols but he decides to continue with his story. "Anyway, one day, this kelpie who lived in the lake felt lonely and decided that he would pick the most beautiful girl living in a nearby village. So he turned himself into a black stallion and wandered into a field where she was resting."

"He kidnapped her?"

"Well, she was enchanted by him but once she started petting him, she found that she could not let him go. That's when she realised that she was in trouble."

In spite of her tiredness, Ga Eul found her interest in the tale growing. "So what did she do?"

"Well, she talked him into allowing her one last afternoon out on the land and eventually, into lying under a tree with her. She started singing to him and at last, he found himself falling asleep. When she invited him to lay his head on her lap and sleep, he transformed into a human and promptly accepted her offer. Unfortunately for him, the girl was aware that the kelpies in human form wear a chain around their neck."

"If she gets the chain she can control him?"

"I married a smart woman."

"If only it had been that easy to catch you," Ga Eul sighs dramatically.

"Casanovas are more difficult to manage than kelpies," he replies dryly.

"I wouldn't disagree. So she caught him and then?"

"She made him work on her farm for her father. Every day, once their chores were over, she would bring him around the area, show him the beautiful forests, and tell him stories about the people, about herself and how her father had single-handedly raised her. Every night she would rub him down in his stall and stay with him until he fell asleep."

Ga Eul props herself up on her elbow, tracing patterns on her husband's bare skin. She smiles when he sighs quietly and tells her that it feels nice. "I'm still waiting for the rest of the story."

"I'm getting to it my sweet impatient country bumpkin. Anyway, after a year, she gave him back his chain because she could see the sadness in his eyes each time they rode past the lake. The girl, in spite of herself, had fallen in love with the kelpie when she had seen his human form. Instead of kidnapping her however, the kelpie chose to let her go."

"He had fallen in love with her too."

"See, I told you I married a smart woman. Yes, he had fallen in love with her and the idea of taking her away from everything she cared for, of hurting her had become unbearable. After living for hundreds of years, he had finally learnt not to be selfish."

Yi Jeong is quiet for a few moments before he continues and Ga Eul begins to have an inkling of why he has chosen to tell her this particular story. "They parted ways but months later, he appeared before her again. He gave her his chain, telling her that if she still loved him, he would give up his magic and become a human for her sake. It was the only way they could live on the land and be together, in life and death."

"He didn't want to live forever and watch her grow old."

"No, being alive without her would not be living at all."

"So they lived happily ever after?"

Yi Jeong is not surprised that a romantic like Ga Eul has guessed the end of the story correctly. "Yes, she had not forgotten him even for a moment. So they were married and lived a long life together. And when he finally passed away, she followed after within days."

Ga Eul leans forward, so close she can feel his breath on her cheek, her lips. "Do you think you are like that kelpie?"

Gently, he threads his fingers through her hair, strokes his thumb over the smoothness of her cheek. She has always been able to see through him, this woman who lights up his life. "In some ways. I keep telling myself how lucky I am that you found me." His voice is thick with emotion as he confesses this to her. Pulling her to him, he kisses her deeply, telling her with his body what he feels in his soul.

Laying a hand over his heart, she returns the kiss. "So, how did I catch a Casanova since, as you said, they are much harder to handle than kelpies?" she murmurs against his lips.

"Well, I can't speak for all of them. But you caught this one by showing him he has a heart. And then you gave him all of yours."

She doesn't say anything for a long moment. And then she wraps her arms around him as tightly as she can. For as long as she lives, there will be nothing that she wants more than to just hold him in these moments that will last forever. "I love you, So Yi Jeong."

"I love you, Chu Ga Eul. Perhaps more than you will ever know."

* * *

**A/N:** Okay, so I did have a more complete and better written version of this written but I'm not putting it up here because according to the rules, I'll have to rate it M and I think that's a little ridiculous, considering that it's just for half a chapter really, and M stories do not show up as recent updates unless you check for them.

The legend is adapted from a story entitled "The Kelpie and the Girl".

The epilogue will be up in a day or two. ^_^


	38. Epilogue

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Four years and continents apart. What keeps Yi Jeong and Ga Eul's hope alive are the letters that they write to each other from time to time…

LOVE LETTER

epilogue.

Yi Jung woke up when he felt Ga Eul rubbing his shoulder gently. "Sunbae," she whispered and he smiled, his eyes still closed. Even after two and a half years of marriage, she still called him sunbae at times. It was like a habit that couldn't be broken; at least most of the time, she called him Yi Jeong. She was still his Ga Eul yang though, that was his nickname for her. It always had been.

"I'm tired. What time is it?" he murmured, rolling over on his side and reaching for her.

"It's two in the morning."

They'd been asleep for less than three hours. "You insatiable minx," he muttered, burying his face in her neck as he reached for the hem of her nightgown. Only to find her pushing him away and smacking his shoulder. "Ow, that hurt Ga Eul yang."

"So Yi Jeong, I am not a minx and you are the insatiable one. But more importantly, you have to get up now."

"Why? Let's just cuddle and go back to bed."

"Because I…" Ga Eul stopped speaking and the hand that was resting on his bare shoulder suddenly dug painfully into his skin. And then she let out a startled gasp that drove the sleep from his eyes. "My water just broke."

For a second Yi Jeong just stared at her, blinking. The baby was not due until three weeks from now. That was the earliest date the doctor had given them. The baby couldn't be arriving now. Had they done something wrong by making love so late into the pregnancy? But the doctor had said it was fine. The research he had done had yielded the same answer as well. The baby couldn't be arriving... Switching on the bedside lamp, he practically leapt out of bed and hurried to Ga Eul's side, supporting her as she slowly got to her feet.

"I'm going to the bathroom. Could you get me some clothes?"

"Clothes?" To say it was a little hard to think at the moment was an understatement. He'd had everything perfectly planned. Ga Eul had opted for a Caesarean. The operation was to have taken place in the afternoon, at one. None of that was going to happen now.

She smiled sweetly even though the contractions had her in a firm grip by then. "Yes Yi Jeong. I can't possible wear this wet nightgown to the hospital right?"

"Ah, I suppose not."

It occurred to Ga Eul that her cool, collected and intelligent husband's nerves had deserted him at the moment. "After you bring me the clothes, you'll call Dr Lee and tell him we are on the way. And then you will get dressed."

"We're having a baby."

He sounded so amazed; those were the same words that he had uttered when she had first told him the news. It always touched her heart. "Yes, we're having a baby."

"You're having my baby." And then he leant down and kissed her deeply. "Give me one minute."

…………………

Ga Eul tried not to wail too loudly and Yi Jeong tried not to wince as she practically crushed his forearm as she pushed down hard.

"That's very good! Now, just one more push," the doctor called encouragingly.

'That's the fifth time he's said that," Yi Jeong thought indignantly.

"That's the fifth time he's said it!" Ga Eul grimaced as another contraction rocked her body. "He's lying! This baby is never going to come out!"

"Yes, it will sweetheart," Yi Jeong said soothingly as he brushed her wet hair back from her face. By the time they had gotten to the hospital, the nurses had said Ga Eul was dilated enough to rush her to the delivery room. Ga Eul had refused an epidural; she was scared of the thought of a needle going anywhere near her spine. By the time she was done squeezing on his arm, Yi Jeong suspected he would need to see a doctor for possible factures.

"This is why I wanted a Caesarean," she said through gritted teeth. "And you can forget about four children. We're stopping at one."

Yi Jeong still wanted more children but after looking at her pale face and sweat soaked hospital gown, plus having to hold her while she cried out in pain for what felt like endless hours, he felt he was in no position to disagree. Besides, she had graduated from his forearm to his wrist and he thought it would be wise not to contradict her.

Ga Eul bore down again, pushing with all her might. And then miracle of miracles, she heard the sound of an infant wailing. Through the haze of exhaustion, pain and adrenaline, she could hear the doctor telling her to push again but she didn't need that instruction; she was already pushing with newfound determination.

"The baby's out!" Yi Jeong pressed a quick kiss to his exhausted wife's forehead as she slumped back on the bed, eyes closed. His own gaze was glued to the tiny red crying infant in the doctor's hands.

"Congratulations. You have a healthy baby girl."

They had spent months guessing the gender of the baby, opting to wait until delivery to find out. "So Yun Hee," Ga Eul murmured as the doctor passed her daughter to her. It was the name they had decided on if the baby was a girl. "She's so pretty."

"Well, she will be once she's not so red," Yi Jeong teased gently but his eyes were wide with wonder and love as he lightly touched his child's hand. This was their baby, their daughter. At that moment, Yi Jeong felt such a fierce rush of love that it took his breath away. Ga Eul was the most precious person in his life but this tiny being came a close second. "Thank you sweetheart," he whispered as they both held her, oblivious to everything else around them for that moment.

……………………

Yi Jeong was outside the nursery, gazing at the latest addition to his family when he heard Jae Joong's excited high pitched voice. "I want Omma!" he squealed as his reluctant father handed the toddler over to his mother.

"I see you haven't won your son over yet," Yi Jeong joked as Woo Bin reached him.

"That's what I get for letting her name him after a pop star," Woo Bin grumbled before turning his attention to the babies. "Which one is she?"

"Fourth to the left," Yi Jeong said proudly. "Ga Eul is still sleeping but she said to wake her up when you guys arrived."

"Congratulations bro. It's a little wild at times," Woo Bin nodded at the energetic bundle in Jae Kyung's arms as she finally got to them. "But there's nothing like it." He ruffled the little boy's black hair affectionately.

Jae Kyung flashed her husband a bright smile as she adjusted her grip on Jae Joong. "The wildness comes from Woo Bin's side of the family. Anyway, Jan Di sent a message while we were on the way here. She and Jun Pyo will be on their plane by tonight. They should be home by tomorrow and Jan Di says they'll come straight to the hospital."

"Jun Pyo sent me that message too. He also said that Yun Hee must be adorable by virtue of her being his goddaughter." Yi Jeong smiled wryly.

"Yah, what about me and Ji Hoo then? Oh, by the way, have you told him?"

"He knows. He said once the honeymoon is over, he and Hyun Jae will come visit us."

"Maybe they'll have baby news too," Jae Kyung said cheekily and squealed as her husband poked her in the side before wrapping an arm around her waist, much to the dismay of their son.

"Be satisfied that your attempt to play Cupid was successful. Leave the children bit to Ji Hoo and your cousin to work out."

"Hey! She is the one who wants children immediately. She told me so!"

As Jae Kyung and Woo Bin squabbled affectionately with their noisy son in between them, Yi Jeong bit back a grin and turned to look at his daughter once again. A few years earlier, no one would have expected any member of F4 to be happily settled with a family, let alone all four of them. 'And now look where we are,' he thought as he watched the nurse check on his daughter. "Come on, let's go see Ga Eul. Woo Bin, it's not dignified to let your son pull your hair that way."

"I know! Yah Monkey, look at what your son is doing!"

"I told you, he gets that from your gene pool!"

……………….

Official visiting hours were over but exceptions could be made, especially when the person who owned the hospital had made it clear that So Yi Jeong could choose to move into the hospital room if he wanted to. Yi Jeong held his daughter close to him, careful to support her head. Tucking the baby blanket closer around her, he once again marvelled at the tiny perfect ears, the light dusting of hair that covered her round head, the tiny closed eyes and pouty lips that she had inherited from her mother.

"She looks like you I think."

Ga Eul had been sleeping but when she had awakened, she was greeted by the sweet sight of father and daughter. The love in Yi Jeong's eyes brought a lump to her throat. It had been worth all the pain to give him this child.

"Do you want to hold her?" Yi Jeong moved from the chair and sat carefully beside Ga Eul on the bed.

"Not yet." Ga Eul reached up and stroked Yun Hee's cheek lightly. The infant yawned and then tucked her head closer against Yi Jeong's arm.

"She has your mouth," Yi Jeong said softly. "She looks like us."

"Well, she's pretty enough for Jae Joong to ask if she could be his monkey."

"What?!"

"When you and Woo Bin went to get us some food. Jae Joong said Yun Hee was very pretty and he asked me very nicely if she could be his monkey."

"I swear, that rascal of Woo Bin's…"

"Who happens to be our godchild too," Ga Eul reminded him.

"Well, he'll have to wait at least twenty years before he asks me that question," Yi Jeong said protectively, causing Ga Eul to laugh.

"I think that's why he waited until you were gone. For an almost two-year-old, he's pretty intelligent."

"Don't tell Woo Bin that. He's already convinced his kid is the smartest in the world."

Ga Eul slowly shifted until she was sitting up in bed and held out her arms for Yun Hee. Yi Jeong handed over the baby before wrapping an arm around his wife. "My two favourite girls," he murmured. "It doesn't get better than this."

Ga Eul smiled mischievously. "Oh, I don't know. What will you say when Number Two comes along?"

Yi Jeong paused for a moment, unable to believe his ears. "Are you serious?"

"Well, it might take a few months, nights of romantic dinners, long soaks in a petal strewn bath, and massages to change my mind—" She stopped speaking when he kissed her.

"I love you sweetheart."

She touched his face, her heart in her eyes as she looked up at him. "I think, this time, I can safely say that I love you more."


End file.
